How They Bloom
by ivorykeys09
Summary: Dan/Blair. Sequel to "The Portrait and the Pen." Future-Fic/Slightly AU. Blair and Dan are now married and back from Paris. They are blissfully happy together...but what if Blair wants more?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I'm ba-aacck! Hello again. If you are a new Blair/Dan fan, this is the sequel to The Portrait and the Pen. You will want to read that first. Also, I did add an epilogue to the last story. Just in case anyone missed it. So...I'm sorry it took so long to get this up. I really wasn't happy with what I had written and didn't want to post it. I reworked it a little and am now pleased with it. The last story left off in September 2010...this is August 2011. Eleven months later. I hope they seem like the same couple from PATP. I don't want to lose that. Let me know how it is! This chapter just sets things up.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of the characters.

* * *

The first six months back in New York had been wonderful. While in town for Nate and Serena's wedding, Blair and Dan were able to scope out a temporary apartment in Soho. Although it wasn't permanent, it was the perfect location for them to be for a while. They had moved back in December, right before Christmas. It wasn't until Blair attended all the holiday parties and dinners did she realize how much better Christmas was in New York.

(She also realized Christmas is _oh so much_ better when you're married.)

To everyone's shock, Vanessa, newly engaged to James, announced she was three months pregnant on New Years. For some reason, it had never occurred to Blair (or Dan, or Serena, or Nate, or anyone) that she wanted kids. _She doesn't really seem like the "kids"_ _type_, Blair thought to herself. She was, of course, absolutely thrilled for her friend, but she certainly didn't ignore the hint of jealously that flooded her system.

It was now late August, only weeks away from their first anniversary. It was a balmy, cool night, and Blair found herself counting down the minutes until Dan got home from a meeting with his editor. To pass the time, Blair walked into their spare bedroom and straightened up her desk. She had yet to find a space for Bloom Portraits, so she had been working from home for the time being. After fixing her desk, she walked over to the bookshelves and straightened the books. She smiled when she saw their honeymoon album. She took it out and sat down. Looking through the pictures, she found herself laughing at the memories.

::

After their wedding, they had taken a month-long honeymoon around Europe. Before leaving, Blair closed Bloom Portraits temporarily, and Dan finished his last freelance assignments in Paris. They packed up their apartments and sent everything home, except a few bags. With just a few suitcases and a map, they were off.

Growing up, Blair had traveled all over Europe the "five-star" way, filled with the best hotels, the best restaurants, and, most importantly, drivers. Since Dan had come into her life, simplicity had as well. Although she had achieved some of it on her own since first moving to Paris, he brought it even more. It had been Dan's idea to rent a car and drive through the countries, stopping only at local, quaint restaurants and staying at cozy bed-and breakfasts. They were able to see each place not as tourists, but almost as residents. They skipped tour guides and itineraries, and instead figured out things as they went. Their days were filled with winding roads, confusing maps, language barriers, and currency exchange problems. However they had never had more fun, or laughed as hard. Their only flight was over to Ireland for the last week of their trip, where they did the exact same thing: rented a car and drove.

On the last day of the trip, over coffee and pastries, Blair tried to convince Dan to let her drive. So far, he had driven every day of the trip. Blair had liked it in the beginning: she in the passengers seat taking pictures and reading maps, and he following her directions. She would also spend the hours looking at Dan, (her_ husband!)_, memorizing the planes of his face, the curve of his jaw, and the way his eyes smile as he's telling a story.

Not today, however. Today she was determined to drive.

"How much do you love me?" flirted Blair, placing her elbows on the table, and resting her chin in her left hand.

_Well played_, Dan thought, staring at his wife's position. Her left hand was clearly displaying her diamond wedding band, a knowing soft spot for him.

"What are you trying to get at?" Dan asked, reaching across the table to take her hands in his.

Cocking her head slightly to the left, she asked, "You look tired, did you get enough sleep last night?"

Dan pretended to think. "Hmm, well, I probably got as much as you. You know, after all that amazing sex we had last night." He raised his voice at the end, prompting the nearby diners to look at them.

Blair's eyes widened. "Yes, well, you could probably use a little break." She smiled sweetly. "Why don't I drive today?"

Dan laughed, _now_ knowing what she wanted. "Babe, how many times have you even _driven _a car?"

She playfully scoffed. "Plenty _thank you very much._" It was obvious she was lying.

"Okay, well, how many times have you driven on the wrong side of the road _and_ on the wrong side of the car?" he tested.

She opened her mouth to answer but then decided against it. She instead got up slowly and sauntered over to him, slinking onto his lap. She ignored people's stares. "Daniel, do you know what I'm capable of?" Her mouth was dangerously close to his.

Before Dan could say something, (or do something), they heard their waiter clear his throat. They quickly paid the bill and left the restaurant hand in hand, slightly red.

Walking to the car, Blair continued her quest. "Dan, what will happen when I'm a soccer mom and I have load up the kids in the minivan? Will you let me drive _then_?"

Dan stopped, surprised at what she had just said. He tried to cover it. "_Please_. You would never own a minivan."

Blair rolled her eyes and chuckled as they both got into the car (Blair as a passenger _again_). As Dan drove, Blair playfully ignored him, as did he. They both stared straight ahead, occasionally stealing glances at each other, their lips fighting a smirk.

Dan was still thinking about what Blair said. He had always thought about kids, and about having them with Blair, but this was the first time she had mentioned something out loud. He looked over at her, not caring at all if she saw his wide smile. She didn't notice it, as she was studying their map intently. He reached over and put his hand over hers. Surprised by his touch, Blair looked at him and smiled. Wordlessly, they ended their little disagreement or _whatever that was_.

Still cheerful about Blair's comment, Dan turned onto a side road. Blair looked at the map, confused. "I think we're supposed to stay on that road."

Dan didn't answer her, and instead turned off the car. Blair watched him as he walked around the front and opened her door. "What are you-" She stopped talking when he dangled the keys in front of her. She squealed, "Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She jumped out of the car and kissed him. She took the keys and ran to the driver's side, quickly putting on her seatbelt and starting the car.

For the next three hours, Blair drove all over the area. It seemed they were in the middle of nowhere (basically...Ireland), so to Dan's relief, there were hardly any other cars. After stopping for a late lunch and snacks for the road, Dan continued the drive to their hotel.

Later that night, as they were getting into bed, Dan laughed. "Why are all the beds here so tiny?"

"Hmm I don't care," Blair said, snuggling in close to his body. "It just means I get to sleep closer you."

Dan kissed the top of her head and pulled her in closer to him. "Blair?"

"Hmm?"

"You said something today...that kind of got me thinking," he said, still trying to figure out his thoughts.

"What?" she wondered, having no idea what he was referring to.

He paused slightly before speaking. "When do you want to have kids?"

A beat passed before she looked up at him. "Umm...I haven't really thought about it."

"Oh ok," he answered simply.

"Why?" she asked, pulling away slightly, propping herself up on her elbows.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just was wondering if you had a time frame in mind. Like, if you wanted to wait until we've traveled more, or until we're financially ready." As he spoke, he softly ran his hand up her arm.

She bit her lip, thinking. "Well, for starters, we're already financially ready. _More_ than ready, _Mr. Economical._" She nudged him slightly in the chest, causing him to chuckle. "And two, we've already traveled a lot. And having a kid doesn't mean we can never travel again. I mean, if we really need to get away, we have plenty of family and friends who'll help out. A child doesn't mean our life is over."

He stared at her. She was talking like she _had_ already thought about it. "Sooo..." he prompted.

"Sooo...I guess it doesn't really matter when we have kids," she said contently. She laid her head down on his chest.

He looked down at her, still unclear with her answer. She sensed it.

She pulled herself onto his chest, bodies pressed together. "Dan, I don't care if it's now or five years from now. All I know is I want to have a kid with you. Okay?" Blair smiled.

He smiled back. "Okay." She leaned down and pressed her lips to his. "So...what happens, happens?" he said.

She nodded and echoed his words. "What happens, happens."

::

The front door shutting snapped Blair out of her daze. "Blair?" she heard Dan call.

She put the album beside her and stood up. "I'm in the office." She smiled when she saw him appear in the doorway. "Hi babe."

"Hey." He walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled back, he put his lips close to her ear. "I have a surprise for you."

She let out a short gasp. "Ooh! What is it?"

He laughed. "I have to set it up. I'll let you know when I'm done. Just stay in here for, like, 5 minutes."

"Okay," she said, before giving him a short kiss. When he left, she looked at the open album on the desk. She smiled sadly at the memory of their last night and put the album away.

A few minutes later, Dan called for her. "Come upstairs." Blair smiled to herself and walked into her room to get a sweater. As she walked up the stairs to the roof, a cool breeze hit her. She tightened the sweater around her body.

She finally reached the top, where Dan met her. He stood behind her and put his hands over her eyes as he guided her to the surprise. "It's chilly up here," she said.

"I know. That's why I got you...this."

She felt his hands leave her face and she opened her eyes. In front of her was a fire. "Oh my gosh!"

"I got us a bonfire pit!" he said, walking over to it.

Blair walked closer to the flames and immediately felt blanketed with warmth. She looked over to Dan, who was setting up two chairs. "Guess what else I have?" he asked.

She waited excitedly for his answer.

He held up a bag of food. "Chinese."

"_Oh my god._ Yum." She reached for the bag, rolling her eyes at her laughing husband.

It had taken her at least six months to warm up to even the _idea_ of Chinese takeout. The first time Dan tried to order it, Blair threatened to sleep in the guest room. The second time, he ordered it without asking her first. Although slightly annoyed, Dan caught her eyeing his chicken fried rice. The third time, as he was eating on the balcony, he looked inside and caught her taking a small bite of his lo-mein, unaware of his watching. The fourth time, as they were eating dinner (she cooked for herself), he picked up a piece of shrimp with his chopsticks and brought them up to her mouth. Daintily she ate the shrimp, trying her best not to show how _goddamn good this is._ And finally, the fifth time. She didn't say a word when he walked in with the takeout bag. Silently, she accepted the plate he handed her, her eyes widening at what was on it. He had covered it with spring rolls, lo-mein, fried rice, and two other favorites of his. She quietly tried each dish, ignoring his smirk the entire time. He broke the silence saying, "You _can_ say it's good, you know."

She sighed dramatically. "I can't believe I'm about to say this...but this is _really_ good."

Now, a few months later, Blair was finally okay with ordering Chinese. She had a strict every-other-week policy, but whenever he brought it home, she nearly caved. It was _that_ good.

They both sat down in the chairs, not even bothering with plates. As they told each other about their days, she signaled a swap, prompting Dan to hand her his carton of fried rice, as she handed him hers. As they finished, a cool breeze came through again, causing Blair to shiver. Dan noticed.

He stood up. "I'm going to go throw this away," he held up the bag of empty cartons, "And bring up some blankets. Be right back."

"Okay," Blair said, inching her chair closer to the fire. After he disappeared, she looked around. Their view of the city around them was spectacular. When they were apartment searching, the only "must-have" on their list was a rooftop deck. When the realtor asked if it was negotiable, Dan simply said no. _Rooftops are "our"_ _thing_ thought Blair, smiling at Dan's reappearance. She watched him as he carried two blankets over to her.

"And this...is dessert." He dropped the blankets in his hands, revealing all the ingredients for s'mores.

Blair groaned. "Are you _trying_ to kill me? Chinese _and_ s'mores? I will be working out until my death." Dan glared at her, as he always did when she mentioned her figure. She winked back.

He chuckled. "Come over here," he said. Blair walked over to him, quickly getting comfortable on his lap. She wrapped a blanket over their legs and took the skinny iron rod he handed to her, complete with a marshmallow on the end. She sighed and relaxed into his chest as she watched their marshmallows brown by the fire. Holding the rod, Dan touched his marshmallow to Blair's, making them stick together.

"Look, they're married," he said, causing Blair to laugh at his childish nature.

When they were brown all the way around, Blair made her s'more, while Dan ate just the marshmallow. Dan watched Blair take a bite of her creation, sighing at the delicious taste. She had marshmallow and chocolate on her lips. Dan leaned down and kissed it off. When he pulled away, her eyes were closed. After a moment, she opened them. "This...is the _best_." He didn't ask her to clarify, knowing she meant so many things. She fed him a bite of her s'more, which he gratefully took. He agreed; it was _good. All of it._

After sharing another s'more, they both sat in comfortable silence, relishing in the company, the fire, and the view. As they sat, Dan took Blair's left hand in his. He immediately felt for her wedding ring and turned it around her finger. Blair smiled to herself. Ever since they got married, whenever he would take her hand, Dan would play with her ring. It was an unconscious habit of his, and she loved it.

It was nights like this that Blair believed for a moment that she and Dan could be happy together for the rest of their lives. Just the two of them. But, like always, the moment passed and a sense of longing filled her. When she felt tears prickling her eyes, she shut them, willing them away. She had cried way too many tears over it in the past few months. She felt Dan kiss her head. _Yes_, she tried to convince herself. _This is all I need._

_

* * *

_**A/N:** So...what do you think? Do they seem like the same couple from my last story? Do you like where I'm going with it? I'll try to have the next chapter up soon. I'm still figuring out how I want to plan their whole story out. Anything you'd like to see? More will be revealed soon... _Please review! _


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of the characters.

* * *

The rest of August passed, as well as Blair and Dan's first anniversary in the beginning of September. They kept the occasion low key: lounging in bed until mid-morning, chatting about how amazing the past year had been and kissing every inch of each other's bodies. When they finally dressed, they met their realtor to look at Brooklyn brownstones. Blair couldn't believe she had actually agreed to move outside of Manhattan, but she knew they would need the space soon enough. Brooklyn was filled with young families sprouting up everywhere, and the hip, relaxed lifestyle of the town fit them perfectly. Her mother had just about fell over when Blair told her where they were moving, but the more Eleanor got to know the "new" Blair, the more she understood her daughter's life choices. It also didn't hurt that Dan practically knew every inch of Brooklyn.

They ended up buying a three-story brownstone with gorgeous red brick on the exterior, and large, window-clad rooms inside. Each room was bright and airy, and the entire house was filled with charming moldings and other details only found in Brooklyn. There was a small, fenced-in backyard and the location was on a tree-lined street. Once they walked in, they both knew it was _home_.

(An added bonus? The rooftop deck with exquisite views of the city. Perfect for their bonfire pit.)

The only downside was that it was a major fixer-upper. The realtor warned them how much work it would be, but Blair and Dan both signed the papers with confidence. They would fix it together and make it feel like theirs. Modern and chic.

They moved in the last week of September. Much to Dan's dismay, Blair insisted they hire a professional moving company. When Dan accused her reason for hiring to wanting to boss some guys around all day, she gave a sly smile and sauntered off to write a detailed to-do list for each mover.

In all honesty, Blair was thankful for the distraction; the house quickly became her main project. She still took on photography clients whenever they needed her, but she and Dan had been smart with their money, and she never felt the pressure to work all the time. While Dan continued editing his book, Blair buried herself in design magazines and swatches. She was committed to designing the entire thing herself, without the help of a professional.

It was now the beginning of October. After kissing Dan goodbye, Blair showered and readied herself to go into the city, as she was meeting Vanessa and Serena for coffee. Forty-five minutes later, Blair exited the subway (she took it occasionally) and walked the short distance to Dean & DeLuca. She spotted Vanessa almost immediately and noticed Serena was sitting with her back to the door.

"Sorry it took me so long!" Blair said as she approached the table. "Have you been waiting long?"

Vanessa smiled and shook her head. "Nope, not at all." She stood and kissed Blair on the cheek.

"Hey B," Serena said, not getting up. "Sorry I can't get up. I'm too busy loving on this _adorable little guy_." Her voice practically cooed the end of the sentence.

It was only then that Blair noticed the sleeping baby in Serena's arms. Vanessa and her fiancée James welcomed Leo Daniel in the beginning of the summer. He was born a few weeks early, weighing in at five pounds. He was still small for his age, even now at three months, but was absolutely perfect.

Throughout Vanessa's pregnancy, Blair had been incredibly supportive and eager to help in any way. However, towards the end, the closer Vanessa got to having a child in her arms, the more it stung Blair that she didn't. She lost sleep thinking about how she would handle the situation once the baby was born. That all disappeared however, when the doctor noticed a drop in the baby's heart rate at one appointment and ordered Vanessa an emergency c-section. The entire situation was scary and quick, and Blair actually _prayed_ that everything would turn out fine.

She didn't know she could love another person's child that much until she met Leo for the first time. And when she first held him? She was a goner.

Blair's heart swelled at the sleeping Leo. She hung her bag on her chair and reached out to take him from Serena. She carefully cradled the little boy and sat down slowly. After a moment, she looked up at Vanessa. "How is it possible that he gets cuter every time I see him?"

Vanessa smiled, with a hint of pride. "Thanks."

After Serena and Vanessa got their coffees (and Blair's; there was no _way_ she was giving the baby up that soon), they caught up on each other's lives.

"How's the house coming along, B?" Serena asked.

Blair smiled. "Good! Although some of the features of the house continue to amaze me. Don't even get me started on the light fixtures. They prove that literally _anyone_ could be a light designer." Both friends laughed.

"We'll have to come by soon and see the progress," Vanessa said.

"Oh, there hasn't been much." Blair shrugged. "We want to live in it for a while before we decided anything major. All we've done is paint every room a tan color. Just for the time being."

Serena smirked. "I still can't believe you moved to _Brooklyn._" Blair chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Hey!" Vanessa said, mockingly offended. "Brooklyn's awesome."

Blair smiled, completely agreeing. She turned her attention back to Leo. She softly ran her finger down the side of his face, reveling in the softness of his cheek. She smoothed out the practically non-existent hair on his head, very carefully, so not to wake him up. She smiled when she noticed his outfit. It was one of the many pieces of baby clothing she and Dan had given to Vanessa.

"So Vanessa, how has motherhood been treating you lately?" Serena asked curiously.

Vanessa smiled and looked at Leo. "Amazing. Exhausting." She chuckled and ran a hand through her curls. "It's seriously the best. Get on it you two."

Blair looked at Serena, waiting for her answer. Serena sighed. "I know, I know. I'm still in a couple modeling contracts with companies, though. I can assure you they would not appreciate it if I got pregnant right now. That goes for my agent, too."

"Oh, right. I forgot about that part," Vanessa answered. "And what's your excuse, missy?" She looked at Blair expectantly.

Blair looked down at Leo to avoid their stares. She hadn't really told them her and Dan's family plans, and she certainly wasn't going to give them any specific timeline. The last thing she needed was anyone constantly asking her for updates. "Oh, you know. We just bought this house. That can be our baby for a while." She hoped that answer sufficed. As an added point, she looked up at them a smiled.

Vanessa sighed. "Well, just don't wait until Leo is three. I want him to grow up with your kids."

"Uh, if I may recall, Serena and I followed the proper order of things. You know, engagement _then_ marriage? You skipped a couple steps." Blair teased.

Vanessa smirked. "That actually reminds me. Leo is obviously taking up all my time, so could you two maybe help me out with planning the wedding? James actually _reminded_ me about it the other day. With the baby, it feels like we're already married."

Serena sat up excitedly. "Yes! I _love_ weddings!"

"Yes, we are all aware you do, S. I think everyone in Manhattan knows that. Probably because they were all invited to yours," Blair joked.

Serena glared. "Oh hush. My wedding was fucking amazing."

"Baby, baby, baby-" Vanessa cut in, reminding her of the sleeping infant.

Serena's eyes widened. "I'm sorry!" She reached over and softly placed a hand over his ears.

Blair laughed. "There's no use in covering his ears now. You already said it."

Serena sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I'll try to get better, I promise." She looked at her watch. "I actually have to go. What are you guys doing after?"

Vanessa looked at her watch as well. "Actually, I have to head to a store down the street and get some more baby socks. We have somehow lost them all." She chuckled and looked at Blair. "Want to come?"

Blair froze for a moment. She had some time before she had to meet her mother for lunch. _A baby store won't kill me._ "Sure," she said, giving her most convincing smile. She carefully shifted Leo in her arms, so she holding him under his arms, while supporting his head. She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek before handing him to Vanessa. After hugging Serena goodbye, she followed a stroller-pushing Vanessa to the store, reminding herself the whole way that she could do this.

::

Dan could hear Blair in the kitchen when he walked in that night. He dropped his bags in their office and went to find his wife. She was washing her hands looking out the window to the backyard. He quietly walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his hand in her chestnut curls. Despite not hearing him, she didn't even flinch. She relaxed into his hold, breathing in his familiar smell. She tilted her head to the side when she felt his lips on her neck. She sighed when he playfully bit her ear. She dried her hands on her shirt and reached behind her to put her hands through his hair. "Hmm," Dan hummed against her neck, right under her ear. "It's been far too long since I've seen you." He turned her around and lifted her up on the counter. She opened her legs to fit his body between them and wrapped her arms around his neck.

She sighed and tilted her head to the side. "I know. I missed you today." She leaned in and finally pressed her lips to his. She deepened the kiss and he groaned into her mouth. He pulled away after a moment and kissed her cheek.

"It smells good. What's for dinner?" He asked, arms still wrapped around her waist.

She leaned her head back and let it hang, keeping her eyes on him. "Um...salad, salmon, and some brown rice."

"Mmm." He leaned in and kissed her again.

She batted her eyelashes and smiled sweetly. "Set the table?"

"Of course," he winked.

After they finished eating, (they left the dishes on the table...they didn't care), they sat down together in the living room. Blair sat against the couch's armrest, glass of wine in hand, with her feet in Dan's lap. He massaged them as he recounted his day. She leaned her head to the side and rested it on the back of the couch, relaxing. When his hands started working the muscles of her ankle, Blair groaned in pleasure. "Fuck, Blair. If I had known this was going to turn me on, I wouldn't have turned down giving you foot massages before."

She laughed breathily, closing her eyes. "Let that be a lesson to you. Never turn me down for anything." He stopped massaging and she felt him shift. She opened her eyes and found him right beside her.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he said, voice low and raspy. Blair sighed into his mouth when he kissed her.

Dan sat back again. "How was coffee?" He continued massaging her ankle.

"Coffee was good. They both want to come by and see the progress. I told them there was much to see yet."

"It's getting there," he said, looking around the room.

She smiled. "Yeah. I actually think I found a nice carpet for the office today. Want to go get me my bag so I can show you the swatch? It's in the hallway."

"Sure." He let go of her feet, smirking at her whimper of protest. She had obviously forgotten he had to stop her massage to get her bag.

A minute later he came back. "What's this, Blair?"

Blair looked up at him, her heart stopping when she saw what he was holding. _The baby sweater._ It was a light grey knitted baby cardigan. Right over the heart, where a pocket should be, was the Eiffel Tower sewn in. When she saw it in the store with Vanessa, her heart melted. She _had_ to get it. She just meant to hide it from Dan.

"Um, it's nothing. I mean- it's something I got for a photo shoot coming up." She tried not to sound nervous, but she failed.

He continued to stare at her. "I know when you're lying. I'm your husband, remember?"

She gave a small smile. "Yeah."

"When'd you get this?" He sat down beside her again.

She set her wine glass down on the floor and sat up a little. "Today. I went to a baby store with Vanessa, and I saw it."

He didn't respond, but instead studied the sweater, feeling the fabric between his fingers. "I like it. It's perfect for our baby."

"I know," she said quietly. They were both silent for a minute, before Blair broke. "Why isn't it happening for us?" Her voiced cracked, but she didn't care.

Dan sighed and moved to pull her in his arms. "I don't know. It hasn't been that long, but I don't know."

The floodgates opened and Blair didn't even try to stop the tears. With each tear, Dan's heart broke a little more. She cried in his arms until her eyes ached, her head ached, and her heart ached.

* * *

**A/N:** I am so sorry this took so long to get up. Infertility is such a sensitive topic, and I am sort of afraid I will disrespect it in some way. I don't have personal experience with it, but I am close with people who have. (If anything about this story line offends you, please let me know.) I hope you liked it though. Sorry the ending was sad. I promise more Blair/Dan next chapter. It was a little heavy on the girls. _Please review_! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thanks for all of the reviews. I'm glad no one thinks I'm mistreating the infertility issue. Some people have guessed about what is wrong, and I will tell you, I haven't completely decided yet on what it is. I have an idea, but I'm not sold on is slightly M-rated. Just a warning. :) Enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

A week had passed since Dan found the baby sweater Blair bought. After she had calmed down, they had decided that if nothing happened in the next month, they would see a doctor. Just to make sure everything was okay. During the days that followed, Blair stuck close to home and filled up her schedule with photoshoots. Luckily there were no newborn shoots, just fashion and engagement portraits, so she relaxed a bit.

It was now Saturday morning. Blair opened her eyes, immediately shutting them from the sun glare. _Note to self: hang curtains._ She was wide awake, but didn't feel like getting out of bed just yet. She turned to her side and opened one eye, smiling at the sight of her husband. Dan was sound asleep on his back, completely still. She slowly moved closer to him. She reached over and laid her hand on his bare chest, right over his heart. Blair knew he wasn't dead- _obviously_- but she couldn't help but feel a wave of relief when she felt his heart pulse against her hand. She closed her eyes and focused on the beats. She felt like she could hear its rhythm- as if the sound traveled through her hand and ran through her veins.

"You hand is so cold," Dan said, voice thick with sleep.

Blair quickly opened her eyes, surprised by his voice, and saw that he was slightly smirking. "Sorry! I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep," she whispered, feeling bad.

Eyes still closed, he rolled onto his side, facing her. He pulled her against his body, tangling their legs together. He chuckled, "Waldorf, your feet are cold too! What's the deal?"

She smiled against his chest. "Don't call me Waldorf," she muffled. She tilted her head up to look at him, but his eyes were still closed.

"I guess I'll just have to warm you up," he said, finally opening those gorgeous brown eyes of his. He trailed his hands up her body so tantalizingly slow Blair thought she would die right then and there. When he traced up her waist and neared her breasts, she unconsciously arched her back towards him, gasping. His hands slowly made his way to her neck, where he cupped her head and captured her lips with his. Their mouths moved slowly and in unison, and when he entered her, Blair could only sigh. When they came to their peak in harmony, Blair couldn't help but wonder: _How can two people fit so perfectly together?_

Needless to say, Blair's feet weren't cold much longer.

**::**

After showering, they both changed for the day. Blair put on her best pair of skinny jeans, and paired it with a white shirt and black blazer. As Dan pulled on a sweater, he watched her walk into _his_ closet. A moment later, she reappeared with one of his black and white scarves wrapped around her neck. Walking over to the mirror to inspect her outfit, she saw the reflection of Dan smirking.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

Through the mirror, she watched him walk up behind her. "Oh, nothing," he said. He continued, "Just...weren't _you_ the one all those years making fun of my scarves?"

She rolled her eyes, playing along. "Yes, well. It's a good thing you have a wife with impeccable taste."

He opened his mouth, mockingly offended. "Please, I owned this scarf _way_ before I married you."

She turned around slowly, and when she finally faced him, she was biting her lip, failing at suppressing a smile. Dan reached up and played with the ends of the scarf.

"This one actually isn't that bad," she said quietly.

"What? What did you say?" He teased.

She glared at him, still smiling. "I have my eye on a few that I would happily bring to Goodwill. But..." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pulling his head down, their mouths inches from each other, she whispered, "It's a good thing I love you." She pressed her lips to his and far too quickly pulled away.

Dan followed her to the kitchen and sat down at the table, while Blair immediately put on a pot of coffee. She crossed her arms and leaned her back against the counter, waiting for it to be ready. "Hey, can you pass me an apple?" She gestured to the bowl of fruit sitting in front of Dan.

"Sure," he said, picking up an apple. He quickly fake-threw it to her, causing her to flinch.

"Humphrey!" She gasped. He then passed it to her gently. She shook her head, "_Every_ morning," she said, taking a bite. "One of these days, you are going to actually hit me, and it won't be pretty."

"Oh yeah?" He challenged playfully, slowly walking over to her.

She took another bite, nodding. Her smile was literally _killing_ him. He leaned down and kissed her apple-juice wetted lips.

"That tastes good," he joked. She rolled her eyes at the comment, but lifted the apple anyway, offering him a bite. He took one and leaned in and kissed her again. He pulled away when he heard the coffee maker _ding!_

**::**

A half hour later, they were in the car on the way to the city. Blair was _determined _to paint their office, so they were off to the paint store. As always, Dan drove, leaving Blair to alternate looking out the window at the beautiful day and at her handsome spouse.

"Okay, first person to spot a car from Pennsylvania gets to pick the movie tonight," Dan said, stealing a glance at Blair.

"You're on," Blair said, accepting the challenge. She saw Dan look out her window for a moment and she softly swatted his shoulder. "Ah, ah, ah. Eyes on the road, Humphrey."

He smirked. "I _am_ capable of doing both at once, babe. " He stole a glance at her. "You're just trying to stall me, because you know I'll win."

"In your dreams," Blair retorted. As she surveyed the cars quickly in the lanes beside them, Dan's cell phone rang.

He immediately reached in his pocket for the phone, which was swiftly taken by Blair.

"You _know_ it's illegal," she warned, raising her eyebrows.

Dan's face went serious. "It's my editor, Lindsey."

"Relax, I'll answer it." She said, bringing the phone up to her ear. "Blair Humphrey," she answered with a smirk, winking at Dan.

It was hard for Dan to focus on driving while trying to figure out what the call was about. _It's Saturday. Why are they calling? _Blair's answers gave no clues.

"Oh, okay...okay. Um..." She looked at the clock on the dashboard. "Yes, that's fine. Alright...No, thank you. Bye." She hung up and looked at Dan. From the short glances he got when he was _not_ staring at the road in front of him, he noticed she had a huge smile on her face.

"Change of plans," she announced. "_We_ are going to your editor's office. She has to tell you something important."

"Do you know what it is? Did she tell you why? Did-"

She cut off his rambling. "Dan. Take a deep breath. She didn't say what it was, but it didn't sound bad." She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Just _relax_," she repeated.

He sighed. "Okay."

Silence ensued for a minute. A moment later, they both screamed and pointed, "Pennsylvania license plate!" at the same time, causing them both to laugh, and simmering Dan's nerves for the rest of the drive.

**::**

In the _slow_ elevator ride up to the office, Dan paced in circles. Blair stared at him in amusement. "You are going to give yourself grey hairs. Stop worrying," she pleaded. She wrapped her arms around his waist to stop his pacing. She brought her arms up and looped them around his neck. He looked everywhere but her eyes. She turned his head so he had no choice but to stare at her.

"Repeat after me," Blair started. "I..."

"I.."

"Am..."

"Am..."

"A..."

"A..."

"Fucking..."

A look of surprise and confusion came across Dan's face. Blair raised her eyebrows, waiting for his echo.

"Fucking," he laughed. She smiled in defeat.

"Amazing..."

"Amazing..."

"Writer."

He paused for a beat. "Writer," he finally said.

"Don't allow anyone to let you forget that," she concluded, poking his chest after each word for effect.

He smiled and shook his head in amazement. "I love you, you know that?"

"You better," she teased, before pulling his head down for a kiss.

Once they exited the elevator, a short, older woman met them.

"Dan, there you are!" The woman said excitedly.

"Oh, you must be Lindsey," Blair said, reaching to shake the woman's hand.

The woman blushed. "Oh, no dear. I'm Daphne, the office assistant. Lindsey is right this way."

Blair looked at Dan, slightly red in embarrassment. He, however, looked amused. "Smooth," he chuckled, wrapping one arm around her waist to follow Daphne.

They were directed into a smaller office. Once they opened the door, they were welcomed with cheers and flying streamers. "Congratulations!" The group of people screamed. Balloons were dispersed throughout the room, and there was a large cake on the table.

A tall red-headed woman stepped forward. "I am happy to say Dan, that you're book has completely finished the editing process. Just one final step and you are a published author!"

She immediately pulled Dan into a hug, releasing his arm from Blair's waist. Blair stepped back in surprise. Once Dan pulled away from the woman, he turned to Blair.

"Blair, this is Lindsey. My editor." He smiled.

Blair gave a warm smile. "It's so nice to meet you. I'm Blair." She reached to shake hands with Lindsey, but the red head ignored it. She pulled Blair in for a big hug instead.

"Oh my! It is _so_ nice to finally meet you!" Lindsey exclaimed. Blair noticed she had a southern accent.

"You too," Blair said, pulling away from the woman's tight hold.

Lindsey turned to Dan. "Come, I want you to meet a few people." She grabbed his hand before he could answer. As she pulled him away, Dan looked back at Blair. "Be right back," he mouthed.

"Don't worry about me!" Blair waved her hand. "Go!"

Once he was on the other side of the room, Blair stepped back to take a breath. She felt slightly overwhelmed by all the people, noise, balloons, and..._Lindsey._ When she had seen the beautiful red head, she felt a pang of..._something_...she couldn't figure out. She had not realized Dan's editor was so young. Or, beautiful for that matter. Why didn't Dan tell her?

_Why _would_ Dan tell me? It's not like it's important. She's his editor for god's sakes._

Dan returned shortly after, grinning as he walked up to her. She pulled him into the corner of the room, away from the crowd. As she looped her arms around his neck, Dan gave her a wry smile. She mimicked it, and cocked her head to the side.

They didn't say anything to each other. Instead, Dan pressed his lips to hers for a long moment, before pulling away. "You were right," he whispered.

"Aren't I always?" She flirted, biting her lip to suppress a smile. "You most certainly _are_ a fucking amazing writer."

He chuckled and leaned down to kiss her again. He stopped when he heard Lindsey's voice. "Dan!" He turned to look at her. "Come in the center of the room."

He looked at Blair, who whispered, "Go!" He smiled and took her hand, bringing her with him.

"A toast!" Lindsey announced before handing Dan a glass of champagne. When she offered one to Blair, she declined. However, too soon did Blair notice Lindsey calculate her decline of alcohol in her mind. Lindsey's eyes widened in excitement as she looked at Dan.

"Are you-"

"Drinking?" Blair interrupted. "Yes. I'd actually love some." She quickly took the glass from Lindsey. _Inaccurate pregnancy announcement?_ _Umm...no thanks._

Lindsey cleared her throat loudly, silencing the room. "'The Portrait and the Pen' is a magnificent book. I was honored to edit it, and I _know_ it will be a best-seller!" She raised her glass. "To Dan, the talented author!"

Everyone raised their glasses. "To Dan!"

**::**

An hour later, Blair and Dan finally left. After the toast, Lindsey had cut the cake and forced Dan into a million different conversations with other editors. As thankful and as excited as he was, Dan was even overwhelmed. Once they got in the car, they didn't move or drive away for a moment. They both took a deep breath and looked at each other.

"Wow," was all Dan could say.

Blair nodded slowly. "Yeah. Wow."

He turned in his seat and started the car. When he drove in the direction of the paint store, Blair looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure you're still up for the paint store? We could just go home."

He dropped his right hand from the wheel and placed it over hers. "You kidding? I'm _totally_ up for the paint store. Paint store, here we come," He said excitedly, causing Blair to laugh and glare at him in appreciation.

Blair had already decided that she wanted to paint the office blue, but she was still unsure of the shade. She held up three paint swatches to Dan.

"Which one: Ionic Sky, Blue Lagoon, or Calming Sea."

Dan squinted his eyes, looking at each one thoroughly. "Calming Sky. Because it's so calming."

Blair rolled her eyes and laughed, placing the two rejected swatches back. After telling the employee her paint order, she looked around for Dan, who was getting primer. Instead, she saw a little boy, a cute one at that, who looked a little lost.

"Mom?" He yelled, looking around quickly.

"Sweetie, are you lost?" She kneeled down to his level. He looked to be about seven, maybe eight.

"Uh, yeah. I don't know where my mom is. She's in the store somewhere," he said, his voice quavering a little.

Blair heart warmed at his voice. His lisp was adorable. As she took his hand to bring him to the front desk, she heard an eerily familiar voice.

"Milo! There you are!"

Blair turned and her knees almost gave out. The boy's mother was Georgina. _Georgina!_

"Thank you so mu-Blair? Is that really you?" Georgina asked.

"Uh, yes, it _is_ really me, Georgina. You have...a son?" Blair asked, gesturing to the boy.

Georgina gave a tight smile. "Yes. This is Milo. Milo say hi." She looked at the boy expectantly.

"Hi," Milo said quietly.

Blair smiled at him again. She looked to Georgina. "I didn't realize you were married."

"I'm not," Georgina snapped.

Blair stepped back a little. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to assume."

"Well you did. Let's go Milo, Mommy's late for something." Georgina took the boy's hand and led him towards the exit. Just then, Dan turned the corner and ran right into them.

"I'm so sorry-" Dan began to apologize, but froze when he saw who he ran into. "Georgina?" He looked down at the boy in shock.

Georgina froze as well, lost for words. She quickly shook her head and pulled the boy away, leaving a still-frozen Dan.

Blair looked at Dan. He was white as a ghost. She was interrupted before she could ask him if he was okay.

"Your paint, Miss." The employee handed her two cans of paint.

"Thank you," Blair smiled. She turned to Dan, who had finally shaken out of his trance. He still looked pale, though. "Babe, are you okay?"

He looked at her. "What? Yeah, I'm fine. Let me go check out." He took the paint from her and headed to the front to pay.

Before Blair could ask why he was lying to her, her phone rang.

"This is Blair," she answered.

"B! It's S. Where are you?"

"Um, in Soho. Why?" She asked curiously.

"Can you come by my place? I picked up a couple wedding dresses and Vanessa's here to try them on. We need your opinion!"

Blair looked at her watch. "I don't know, S. This isn't the best time."

"_Please!_" Serena begged. "It will only take an hour."

"Alright, fine. I'll be there soon. One hour!" She warned, before hanging up the phone.

Dan walked up to her. "Ready?"

Blair sighed and gave a guilty smile. "Serena just called. Vanessa needs our opinion on a wedding dress. I _promise _I won't be long."

Dan smiled. "It's fine! You should go. I'll head home and start priming."

"You sure?" She asked again.

"One hundred percent."

"Okay." She led him out the door and waved down a taxi. When a cab slowed in front of her, Dan opened the door for her. Before stepping in, she looped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up on her tiptoes. "Don't tire yourself out painting, Mr. Author. She leaned in close to his ear and nearly purred, "We have a _lot_ to celebrate later." She brushed her lips against his cheek and pulled away, getting into the cab. She winked through the window as the cab drove away.

**::**

She got to Serena's in no time at all, and was happily greeted by her friends. It only took twenty minutes to select a wedding dress, so they decided to catch up for a few minutes before Blair left.

Blair leaned back on the couch, cradling a sleeping Leo. "I had the longest morning. On our way to the paint store, Dan's editor called him in."

"Oh, yeah? Why was that?" Serena asked, popping a grape into her mouth.

"Well, they had this little surprise party to congratulate him on his completely edited book."

Vanessa's jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh! That's great!"

Serena joined in. "Yeah, B! You guys must be so happy!" She looked at Blair's face. "Or not..?"

Blair shook her head. "No, of course I'm happy. I'm _thrilled._ I just can't get his editor out of my mind. I met her for the first time today."

"Oh, how was she?" Vanessa asked.

"Beautiful. Young. Perfect. Southern," Blair said in mock-excitement.

Serena eyed her friend. "B, why am I sensing you don't like this girl?"

Blair shrugged and sighed. "I don't know. I guess I just assumed she would be older and unattractive? I didn't realize Dan had spent so much time around this seemingly perfect woman."

"Blair," Serena said in a warning tone. "Do _not_ worry about Dan and this woman. He only has eyes for you, got it?"

"Yes," she sighed, still unconvinced. She decided to change the subject. "How was the _Vogue_ shoot this morning, S?"

Serena sighed. "Ugh, it was okay. The male model I had to work with was all over me. It was a total nightmare."

"Jeez, sounds like a nightmare." Vanessa smirked with a hint of sarcasm.

Blair sat up. "Speaking of nightmares. I almost forgot to tell you. Guess who I ran into today?"

"Who?" They both asked.

"Georgina," Blair said, pausing after to let it sink in.

Vanessa and Serena's eyes widened. "Wow. Talk about a blast from the past," Serena said.

Blair continued, "That's not all. She has a _kid._ She's a _mother_. Can you believe that?"

Serena and Vanessa looked at each other anxiously. "Was Dan there?" Vanessa asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. In fact, I think he was more shocked to see her than I was. He looked like he saw a ghost or something." Blair looked down and softly ran her finger down Leo's cheek. She noticed the silence in the room.

She looked up. "What?"

Serena fiddled with her fingers nervously. "B, I thought you knew by now."

"Knew what?" Blair asked, her heart speeding up.

No one answered.

"Serena, Vanessa. What aren't you telling me?" Their silence was starting to scare her.

Vanessa finally answered. "Blair, that summer when you and Serena went to Paris, Georgina came back. Pregnant. She convinced Dan -convinced us all- that he was the father."

Blair's heart dropped. "_What?_" She gasped.

Vanessa continued. "They got drunk one night and slept together at NYU." She looked to Serena for help. "Anyway, she ended up having the baby and they raised him for three months together." Vanessa paused to remember the details. "Actually, she ended up leaving and I helped Dan with Milo for a couple weeks."

"Dan _raised_ him?" Blair asked incredulously.

"Yeah, B." Serena said. "But, she came back and Rufus ordered a paternity test. And, it ended up not being his."

Blair looked at them in disbelief. She stood up. "I have to go." She handed Leo to Vanessa. She quickly grabbed her coat and purse.

"B, wait." Serena said, trying to stop her.

Blair turned and held up a hand. "Serena." She shook her head, slightly embarrassed by the tears that pooler her eyes. "I have to talk to him. I'll call you later."

As she opened the door to leave, she heard Serena yell, "Don't be mad at him!" She shut the door.

In the taxi ride home, her mind was flooded with questions and emotions. She felt angry that no one told her and embarrassed that she didn't know of this pivotal event from her husband's past. Most of all, she felt sick thinking about what Dan went through. Raising a child you thought was your own, only to have him taken away? Her heart broke into a million pieces and she tried with all her might to hold back a sob.

As the taxi slowed to a stop in front of her house, she wiped her tears. She was going to find out the whole story from Dan. And why today was the first she heard of it.

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews are always appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

Blair's heart raced as she walked up the front steps and entered the house. Assuming he was painting, she expected to hear music blaring, or at least Dan whistling. However, she was greeted with silence. It somehow made her more nervous.

She threw her bag down on the ground, not bothering to care where it landed, and walked to find Dan. She saw the office door closed and stood in front of it. Slowly, she took a deep breath and brushed away the remains of her tears. That did nothing, as tears continued to slowly fall down her cheeks. She quickly accepted that she would probably cry throughout the entire conversation.

She firmly placed her hand on the handle and opened the door. She was greeted by a primed office, the strong smell of paint immediately washing over her. Her husband, however, was not there.

She walked around the first floor, unsuccessfully finding him, before she went a floor up. She moved around quickly and quietly, becoming more and more confused to where he might be. _One more place_, she thought as she climbed the stairs up to the roof.

She saw Dan immediately after she opened the door. He was sitting on one of the chairs, hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees. He was staring at his hands, twisting his wedding band around his finger. It was clear the moment she saw his face that Serena had called.

She knew he heard the door close, but he still didn't look up at her. Instead, she quietly picked up the other chair and placed it in front of him, a few feet away. She sat down on the edge and stared at him. The look of guilt and sadness on his face made Blair's hurt lurch and she felt the sting of fresh tears spring in her eyes. For a few minutes, the only sound was the wind whistling around them.

After what seemed like an eternity, Dan finally spoke, not looking up at her yet. "Do you want me to start from the beginning, or why I haven't told you?"

"The beginning," she replied in a voice lined with tears.

He nodded and paused to gather his thoughts. He started, "Honestly, that whole summer is kind of blurry. Sometimes I have to convince myself that it actually happened." He paused again. "Literally the _day_ you and Serena went to Paris, Georgina came back. I remember her being in this horribly tight metallic outfit." You could hear the cringe in his voice.

Blair closed her eyes at that sentence, thinking how on _any_ other day, it would make her laugh. His voice opened her eyes again.

"She told me she was due any day, and that it was mine. She had an ultrasound picture and everything. I was in shock. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. But as crazy as it was, when he was born a week later..." His voiced trailed off, and he took a deep breath, trying to damper his emotion. He looked at his palms, as if he were holding an invisible infant, and continued, "I couldn't help but fall in love with him."

His confession hung in the air, and the ache in Blair's chest doubled. She felt claustrophobic in her own body.

He continued, "Everyone says that 'having a baby changes you,' and for a while, it seemed like it _had _changed Georgina. We weren't romantically involved, but I somehow grew to care for her."

Blair felt someone relieved by that statement. _(The romantic part.)_

"That whole summer, we were this weird little team. We found a routine that worked and cut ourselves off from the outside world. We barely left the loft; no one knew," Dan said, shaking his head.

A beat passed. Then, "Things went downhill once Vanessa found out. Even though I had been trying to avoid anyone finding out, once she knew, I felt this immense pressure leave me. She told my dad and Lily, and Serena found out once she came back. I woke up one day and found a note from Georgina. She said she needed a break and that she would be at a spa for a couple days. She promised she would come back."

Blair's heart sped up nervously, realizing the end was near. She knew she hadn't heard the worst of it yet.

He sighed loudly. "I had this bad feeling she wasn't coming back and forced myself to accept the fact that I would raise him alone. Vanessa helped out some. Lily helped set up a little nursery." He was quiet for a moment. "Georgina ended up going to St. Barts. Once she came back, my dad ordered a paternity test. But she told me who the real father was, anyway."

He sat back in the chair, relieving Blair a little. _ Her_ back hurt watching him hunched over for so long. She was glad to finally see his whole face, even if he still didn't look at her. They were both silent for a minute. She watched Dan as he organized his thoughts, his face calm and serious as he formulated the right words.

He started again. "The first few days after she left with him-"

"Milo," Blair said, cutting him off. Dan's eyes finally locked into hers. "It's okay to say his name."

He may not have realized it, but Blair knew there was a reason he couldn't say it. Dan shook his head and rubbed his face with both hands. Blair pulled the chair closer to him, so their knees were touching. She brought his hands down from his eyes and held them in her own, resting where their knees touched.

"I didn't tell you because every time I say or hear his name, or think of that summer, I feel _immense_ guilt. Because the first few days after Milo left, I felt so relieved. And I know it makes me sound like a horrible person, but-"

"No it doesn't," Blair interrupted, looking at him seriously. She shook her head and repeated, "It doesn't." She squeezed his hands to continue.

"But then, I felt so lost. Over the course of those three months, _every_ _single_ _decision_ I made was for his benefit. He was _all_ that mattered. I had forgotten what it was like to live by myself, for me. That summer was the hardest of my life, but I wouldn't take it back." He shook his head and looked out at the city. This day suddenly felt so long.

He turned to Blair after a minute. Quietly, he asked, "Are you mad?"

Blair shook her head. "No, I'm not mad." She continued shaking her head. "I'm not mad." Suddenly, she let go of his hands and stood up. She walked over to the railing facing the city and leaned her elbows on it, burying her face in her hands.

Dan's heart fell as he watched her shoulders start to shake. She finally came undone in front of him, and he didn't know if he should comfort her, or let her get it out. He waited some time before her shoulders relaxed some. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and stared out at the skyline. After a moment, she turned and walked back over to him, sitting down in the chair once again. Her cheeks were puffy and rosy, her eyes red and glossy. Her breath was in short gasps, still settling down.

She cleared her throat. "For the record, someone else could have told me. Not all the blame is on you for that." She sniffled. "I'm also going to _not_ focus on the Georgina part of it. For now."

He gave a small smile. "Can you tell me what you're feeling?"

Blair nodded. "I'm getting there. It's a lot to take in."

She tried to take a deep breath, but it hitched the whole way.

She started, "First, I cannot even imagine what you went through. And the more I've thought about it, and the more you've explained it, the more I understand why it was so hard to tell me. Leo is three months old. I love him so much, and he's not even mine." She paused and felt fresh tears. Her voice quavered, "I don't know what I'd do if someone took him away, and he's not even my child."

It was silent again for a moment. Dan broke it. "I should have told you."

Blair shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, maybe you should have. But, you didn't. I can't focus my feelings on that right now."

Dan sighed. "Honestly, you have every right to."

"Wait." She held up her hand stopping him. "Let me just say this first," she said, voice breaking.

She exhaled as she felt tears pool over her eyes again. "I guess the hardest thing is..." She paused. Then, "For months, I have been talking about how great it will be to be a parent. And I have no _idea_ what it's like. I just want it _that_ bad." She paused again. "But you _do_. You've been there. You've done it. And even though it was only for three months, and he turned out not to be yours...you were a _dad_." She met his eyes. "And with each month that goes by that I don't get pregnant, my heart breaks a little more. Dan-" She sighed. "It's breaking for something I have no idea what it feels like. And the most upsetting thing is that you _do._ You know what we're missing out on. You know how rewarding and great it is, because you've done it already." She was now crying completely.

Dan spoke this time. "I could say the same thing, Blair. With each month that goes by that it doesn't happen for us, the more impatient I get. Because, yeah, I know how it is. And I know you will love it. And I know you will be a great mom. And I know I'll be a great dad. And I will do whatever is in my power to get us to that place."

She nodded, still crying. He pulled her onto his lap and curled her body into his chest. He kissed her head and mumbled into her hair, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you." He felt her nod. When her tears simmered, Blair sat up. He brought his hands up and softly cupped her head, wiping her tears with his thumbs.

She gave a small smile. "For better or worse, I still love you."

"I love you too," Dan repeated. He pressed his lips to hers, and when he pulled away, he kissed her warm, and still wet, cheek.

Blair slipped off his lap and they both stood up. The sun was now setting and the air felt suddenly cold. Dan took Blair's hand and led her through the door and back downstairs. While he made a quick dinner, Blair texted Serena and Vanessa that everything was fine and that she would call them in the morning. After eating dinner, Blair took a bath to calm herself and relax after the tiresome day, while Dan listened to the many congratulatory phone messages he had received. Honestly, he had forgotten about the book news. _Was that really today? _It literally felt like the longest day of his life. He knew his wife could say the same.

Blair was pulling on a sleeveless nightgown when Dan entered their bedroom. Her back was facing him, so when he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her slender frame, she gasped slightly in surprise. She relaxed into his body and sighed when he kissed the back of her neck, before placing a soft kiss on her bare shoulder. Blair turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his body. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, placing a kiss there. She closed her eyes, relishing his smell. Even after a day like today, the feeling of how much she loved him overwhelmed her.

After Dan changed, they both got into bed. They were mentally and emotionally exhausted, and knew they would be asleep in no time. They wordlessly acknowledged that there was still a lot to talk about, but that could wait. The last thing Blair heard before falling asleep was Dan saying, "I promise I'll finish painting tomorrow."

Blair smiled sleepily. _God, I love that man._ Then, she was out.

**::**

When Dan woke the next morning, he immediately reached out for his wife. He was more than disappointed to find cold, empty sheets. After pulling on a shirt, he walked downstairs to look for Blair.

He found her sitting on the back porch, already dressed for the day. Her curls were pulled back in a high messy bun, and she was wearing skinny jeans and a sweater. She was kneeling on the deck, taking a picture of the potted chrysanthemums that had recently bloomed.

"Hey," Dan said quietly. She looked at him, slightly startled.

She gave a warm smile. "Hey, yourself." She got up and walked to Dan, who was standing in the doorway into the house. When she was a foot away, she brought the camera up to her eyes and snapped a picture of him, of which he was completely unprepared for.

"Annnnd that'll win worst picture of the year." Dan said, grimacing.

Blair chuckled, "I just love your morning bed head." She slipped past him inside, setting her camera down on the table.

"Hey! I don't even get a good morning kis-"

Blair cut him off by covering his mouth with her hands. Then, she stood up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. He deepened the kiss and reminded himself to breath.

When she pulled away, she winked at him and sauntered over to the counter, pouring them both coffee. Once she filled both mugs, she gave one to Dan, who was now sitting at the table.

Blair sat down across from him and gave him another smile. She reached across the table and took one of his hands. She gave it a gentle squeeze, keeping her eyes locked with his the whole time. He noticed her eyes still looked tired and puffy, from all of the crying.

Blair cleared her throat. "I, uh, put a call into my doctor. To see if they can us."

Dan smiled. "Good. I think we should just get everything checked out to make sure everything's working."

Blair nodded. Suddenly, her cell phone rang. She got up quickly and looked at the caller. "Their ears must be ringing. It's my doctor."

"Blair Humphrey," she answered. "Thanks for calling me back...Okay. Yes, that works. Okay...Okay, great. See you then. Bye."

She looked over to Dan. "They can see us in an hour."

Dan stood up. "Really? That's...convenient."

Blair nodded, suddenly anxious. "Will you come in the room with me?"

Dan walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Of course I'll be there." She rested her chin on his chest and looked up at him. He smiled, "I can already see you getting nervous. Don't worry until we have to. I'm sure everything will be fine." He leaned down and kissed her softly. He pulled away and said, "And if there's something wrong, we'll find every possible way to fix it. Okay?"

She nodded. "Okay," she answered quietly.

"You trust me?"

She wrinkled her nose and pretended to think. "Hmmm..."

Dan dropped his jaw, teasing her.

"I'm kidding. I trust you." She kissed him quickly. "Now, get dressed. It's an important day in the Humphrey household."

They both quickly got ready, which busied Blair enough so she was not thinking about the appointment. It was only when she was in the car, minutes from the doctor's office that her nerves escalated again.

"Ready?" Dan asked.

Blair forced a smile. "Let's go."

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry this chapter was sort of sad for the most part. I promise things will get lighter soon! Reviews are always appreciated :)


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Okay...I'm SO sorry I didn't have this up like I said I would on Friday. I hope this chapter makes up for my absence. I hope you're all still fans of this story (despite the break), and will continue to read and review. One last note: the beginning is slightly **M-rated.** Enjoy... :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl.

* * *

It had been three weeks since Blair and Dan's doctor's appointment. They were told it would take a few weeks for the results to come back, so in order to make the time pass quickly, they had both kept their days busy. For the most part, it worked. The first two weeks, Blair focused on work and designing their house. She filled every morning with photo shoots and in the afternoons would scrounge the city's vintage stores for furniture. Dan, on the other hand, threw himself into publishing his book. He spent every day at his publisher's office. Since "The Portrait and the Pen" had gotten its final approval, Dan now had to work on the formatting and design aspect: typography, binding and casing, paper selection, and final proofreading.

The third weekend of their "wait" was an interesting one. On that Friday night, James, Vanessa's fiancée, got a call that his father had suffered a stroke. He was still alive, but his condition was worrisome, and his mother thought it would be best for him to visit just in case.

Blair and Dan were in the middle of dinner and a game of Scrabble when Vanessa called. Seeing her name come up on her phone, Blair answered cheerfully, "Hey, Vanessa! How are y-"

"I don't have time to talk Blair," came Vanessa's rushing voice, cutting Blair off. Blair immediately stiffened, Vanessa's tone completely worrying her.

"What's wrong?" Blair asked quickly, _her_ tone worrying Dan.

"James's father had a stroke."

Blair gasped softly. "Oh my gosh, that's horrible! Is he okay?"

_Now_ Dan was officially worried. He mouthed 'What's wrong?', but Blair ignored him and got up from the table.

"They said he's stable for now, but that his condition could change at any moment," Vanessa said, sounding slightly calmer than before.

Blair relaxed a bit. "Well, is there anything we can do?"

"That's actually why I'm calling." She paused, hesitating for a moment. Then, she raced out the words. "Do you mind if I drop off Leo? I know it's last minute, and you probably have plans all weekend, but he seems like he's coming down with a cold, and a hospital is the last place he should be. I also want James to have my full attention, because he's so close to his father, and-"

Blair was practically getting a headache from her rambling. _I get enough of that from Dan._

"Of course," Blair said, finally cutting her off. "Of _course_ you can drop him off. We'd love to have him."

Vanessa breathed a sigh of relief into the phone. "Are you sure? You really don't mind?"

"I'm positive," Blair assured her. "We're just sitting here playing Scrabble and eating dinner. We have nothing going on."

"I owe you one."

"Oh stop," Blair brushed off. "Just put together the necessities and if you can't bring everything tonight, we'll figure out how to get it later."

"That's the other thing," Vanessa said. "His parents live upstate. I know we'll be gone at least one night, but I'll try to come back Sunday no matter what."

"Vanessa, don't worry about it. We'll be fine," Blair said, trying to calm her nerves.

"Oh, I know _you'll _be fine. Me, on the other hand, won't be. This is the first time I've spent the night away from Leo, let alone a few hours. I'm a nervous wreck!" Her voice was already quavering with tears."

Blair smiled, still shocked by how maternal Vanessa was. "V, you'll be fine. Dan and I will take such good care of him. Just focus on James and being the best support system you can be."

"Thanks Blair," Vanessa replied, feeling suddenly grateful. "We'll probably drop him off in an hour."

"Great. We'll see you then," Blair said before hanging up. She walked back into the living room to find Dan analyzing his letters.

"Change of plans," Blair sighed, sitting back down on the couch.

Dan looked up at her sudden reappearance. "Who was that? What's wrong?"

"James' father had a stroke. He and Vanessa have to drive upstate tonight to visit him."

Dan frowned. "Is he going to be okay?"

"For now, he's stable," Blair said, nodding her head. "But they said his condition could change at any moment."

"Gosh, I can't even imagine," Dan said, refusing to even think about Rufus having a stroke.

"I know," Blair agreed, thinking about her own father.

Dan broke the silence. "So what's the change of plans? Don't tell me you're flaking on our Scrabble game Waldorf. Just when I get ahead, you're 'tired,'" Dan teased, using air quote for extra effect.

Blair rolled her eyes. "One, the name's _Humphrey _now, remember?" She gave a smile that was a little _too_ sweet.

"How could I not?" Dan said in a low voice, leaning over to kiss her.

"Ah, ah, ah," Blair stuttered out, turning her face so he would land on her cheek. "Not so fast Daniel." His lips continued pressing soft kisses against her face. She held up two finger even though he couldn't see. "Two, we both know that I'm the Scrabble underdog. I always beat you in the end."

"You wish," he mumbled, his lips now ravaging her neck.

"And three," her voice quavered in lust, now completely effected by his actions.

She felt Dan shake his head. "No three..." he said before finally capturing her lips.

Blair felt his tongue graze against her bottom lip, begging for entrance. She complied, opening her mouth for him, immediately moaning into his mouth at the sensation. Her breath hitched when his mouth moved to her shoulder, pushing away the fabric of her shirt.

"Wait," Blair said before she lost herself in him. "Stop for a sec," she breathed out, frustrated with _herself_. She was completely turned on and couldn't believe she just told her husband to stop seducing her.

"What?" Dan said, sounding equally frustrated. He pulled away from her collarbone, breathing heavily. His eyes were full of desire and Blair had to look away before she gave in.

Calming her breath, Blair said, "Vanessa is dropping off Leo. We need to watch him tonight."

This snapped Dan out of his sexual crusade. "What? When?"

Blair grabbed Dan's hand and looked at his watch. "Forty-five minutes?"

"Oh. Okay," he said seriously, looking down at the floor in thought. He looked back up at Blair. "Are you going to be okay doing this? Considering the circumstances..."

Blair folded her hands in his. "Yeah, I'll be fine. This is just one of those situations where you have to put your needs on the backburner and think about what's important. Besides, this is Vanessa's first night away from the baby, and she's already a wreck. She wouldn't have dropped him off if she didn't have to."

"Okay," Dan smiled, admiring her attitude. A second later, his face became worried. "Oh my gosh, we have to baby proof. This place is a death trap!"

Blair laughed. "Relax. That baby is never leaving my arms. Twenty-four hours of uninterrupted Leo time? I've been waiting for this day." She stood up and gathered their plates. "Clean up the game, would you?" She asked, disappearing into the kitchen.

Dan didn't answer, instead staring silently at the board. _I was_ finally_ winning._

As if she could read his thoughts, Blair came back into view and leaned against the doorframe. "You don't want to end the game, do you?" she asked smirking, amused by her husband's slight pouting.

He looked at her. "I was totally kicking your ass."

"You were not," Blair said, turning back into the kitchen again.

Dan sighed and cleared the pieces off of the board, before putting all the contents back in the box.

Blair was loading the dishwasher when he joined her. He stood still, eyes glued to everything she did. The way she meticulously organized each plate in size order in the dishwasher, the way she carelessly gathered curls and brushed them off to one side, and the way she craned her neck, soothing an ache and giving him a delicious view of the smooth skin.

He walked up behind her and pressed his lips against the nape of her neck. Blair sighed, as if she had been _waiting_ for him to do that. She turned off the faucet and turned around, not even bothering to dry her wet hands. He pressed soft kisses _everywhere_ on her face. Her lips, her cheeks, he ears; not one inch wasn't touched. Her skin burned with desire and felt a surge of heat rush towards her center. Her fingers raked through his hair and she gasped when she felt his hands grasp her thighs, his fingers taunting and avoiding the one place she wanted them. She sighed into his mouth when he picked her up and placed her on the counter, spreading her legs to accommodate his body. She didn't know when he had unbuttoned his pants, but she no longer cared once she felt him teasing with the silk of her panties. "_Dan,_" she gasped, begging for him to keep going. He kissed her deeply and pulled them off. She moaned into his mouth when she sank into him, quickly following the fast pace of their movements. They came together, muffling each other's names with their mouths. As they came down from their high, Blair buried her face in his neck, reveling in Dan's safe smell. They were both breathing heavily, completely satisfied and content. Once their breaths were somewhat normal again, Blair pulled away from Dan and slid off of the counter. They both continued to stare at each other, attraction and lust still hanging in the air.

The doorbell snapped them back to reality. Blair's eyes widened; she had completely forgotten about Leo.

"Oh my gosh! They're here!" Blair whispered, suddenly embarrassed by their impulsive activity. She turned on the faucet and started washing her hands.

"Relax. Just act like this never happened," Dan said, turning to walk towards the front door.

"_Wash your hands!_" Blair said borderline-harshly, rushing past him and thrusting a hand towel in his direction. Dan chuckled despite her freak out.

"Coming!" Blair called, smoothing out her skirt and combing her curls with her fingers. She looked in the mirror and gasped. Hopefully Vanessa and James were in enough of a hurry to ignore her unmistakable flushed face.

She opened the door and before she could say hello, James walked in carrying and armful of baby items. Vanessa followed behind slowly, literally clutching Leo. When she turned to Blair, Blair's heart broke a little. Vanessa looked as if she had been crying all night, her eyes puffy and red. Blair gave her a small smile for comfort.

"Hey guys!" Dan said, joining them in the front hall. He looked at the tearful Vanessa. "Wait a minute, I thought James' dad had a stroke."

Blair whipped her head in his direction and glared at him, not appreciating his joke.

He winced at her reaction. "Sorry. I was just trying to lighten the mood, get your mind off of leaving Leo."

"Do you want to sleep on the floor?" Blair threatened in a whisper.

He chuckled nervously and then turned to James. "Where's the bassinet? I'll bring it upstairs."

While their men set up the bassinet and brought the rest in from the car, Vanessa went over everything with Blair: Leo's sleeping and eating schedule, the best soothing techniques, and what his favorite toys were.

"Ready babe?" James said, joining them in the living room.

Vanessa nodded silently, and pressed a long kiss on Leo's head. "Bye baby. I love you." She kissed both his cheeks and handed him over to James, who kissed him goodbye.

Blair gently took Leo from James and cradled him in her arms.

Vanessa wiped her tears. "If you have _any_ questions, call me. Anytime. Day or night. Twenty-four-"

"Seven," Dan finished for her. "Got it."

After James practically dragged Vanessa out, Dan shut the door. "Wow. She's a mess," he said walking into the living room.

"I know. I _really_ want to fell bad for her, but its kind of hard. I am just so excited to have him all to myself," she said, pressing a kiss on Leo's cheek.

"_Ourselves,_" Dan corrected with an amused grin. He would never say this out loud, but he actually didn't mind Blair's need to hold Leo constantly. He was totally enthralled with watching her handle an infant. She looked completely naturally doing it. All she needed was her own baby.

"When should we put him down?" Dan asked.

Blair chuckled. "'Put him down?' He's a child, not an animal. You make it sound like we're about to kill him."

He smiled. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah. Vanessa gave him a bottle in the car, so he should fall asleep soon. He's already in his jammies."

Dan grinned at her used of "jammies."

Blair started walking towards the stairs. "I'm going to bring him upstairs and see if I can rock him to sleep. Is the bassinet in our room?"

"No. The office," he answered, knowing it would ease her mind.

It did, and Blair let out a quiet sigh of relief. As much as she as okay with Leo being there, she was glad he put the bassinet in the office. She didn't think she could handle it being in their future nursery. "I'll be back down in a bit."

After a half hour passed without Blair coming, Dan got curious. As he walked upstairs, he wondered if she had fallen asleep rocking him. He quietly opened the door to the office and stilled when he saw Blair. She was leaning down over a sleeping Leo, who was lying in the bassinet. She was softly running her hands through his, for the most part, nonexistent hair. Blair had always been a pretty placid person, but he couldn't help but be struck by how gentle and calm she was with Leo.

"Hey," Dan whispered quietly.

If she was surprised by his appearance, she didn't show it. "Hey," she said, tearing her eyes from Leo for a moment. She smiled at Dan and turned her attention back to the baby. Dan walked up to the bassinet.

"He's so perfect," Blair remarked quietly, hand still soothingly brushing against his head.

"I know," Dan said honestly, because truthfully, _he was._ A minute later, he whispered, "I'm going to get ready for bed."

Blair nodded. "I'll come with you." She placed a soft kiss on Leo's cheek and turned on the baby monitor Vanessa had brought.

Blair followed Dan out and into their room. She placed the other monitor on her nightstand and turned it on as well.

After changing and washing up, they climbed into bed. The static noise and soft hum of Leo's breaths from the monitor filled the room. Blair couldn't help but notice that it wasn't annoying, but somehow relaxing. Even though it wasn't _their_ baby, she still fell asleep smiling at the thought of a baby monitor next to her, and a baby in the room beside them.

**::**

Vanessa had told Blair that Leo now slept through the night. Although that was true, Blair still got up to check on him five times. When she tried to get out of bed for the sixth time, Dan stopped her and reassured her that he was fine. All the while, though, Dan's heart warmed at her attentiveness.

Dan woke to Leo's soft cries, completely surprised that Blair was still sound asleep. He hurried out of bed and into the office in the hopes of getting Leo before Blair, and letting her sleep a little longer.

Leo calmed down once he was in Dan's arms, and Dan carried him down to the kitchen. He changed his diaper, shaking his head the entire time at how long it has been since he had last done it; nearly eight years ago with Milo. He quickly glanced over the many pages of instructions Vanessa had written down, and warmed a bottle for him. He poured a drop onto his hand to make sure it wasn't too hot, and smiled when it was the perfect temperature. _I still got it._

An hour later, Leo was fed, changed, and in an outfit for the day. Dan laid him a blanket down on the carpet in the living room and laid Leo down. Dan gave him a rattle Vanessa had named one of "his favorite toys," and Leo gave a gummy smile as Dan lightly shook it in front of his face. He reached for it and grasped the toy, impressing Dan at his strength. He immediately put the end in mouth, chewing on it. _Teething_, Dan thought to himself.

A moment later, Dan heard Blair's feet pounding against the floor through the ceiling. "Dan?" she called, racing down the stairs. She stopped when she noticed them on the floor. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Dan chuckled at her sleepy appearance. "Because you barely slept all night. And I'm the one that woke up to his cries. We're fine."

"Did you change him?" Blair asked, slightly nervous for his answer.

"Yup. Twice."

"Did you feed him? _Oh my god_ we starved their child," she said racing over to kneel next to a happy Leo.

"Relax! I gave him a bottle," Dan said, still smiling at her appearance. "And he ate the who thing."

Blair breathed out a sigh of relief. "Sorry for doubting you."

Dan leaned over and kissed her still-warm cheek. "No worries. Just remember, I've done this before."

"Oh right," Blair said, the "Milo situation" coming back to her suddenly.

"Now, why don't you change, and we'll put him in the stroller and walk to breakfast. And _then_ go to the duck pond.

Blair gave a wide smile. "Okay."

They spent the rest of the day doing just that. Blair was both impressed (and thankful) that Dan could push the stroller while simultaneously holding her hand, and she secretly loved the way passerbys smiled at what seemed like the perfect little family. For the first time in a while, Blair felt hopeful that she could have this one day.

Vanessa called later that afternoon to tell them that James' father would fully recover. Blair and Dan were both relieved and glad everything would be okay, but they agreed they would miss Leo. Vanessa barreled in the door that night and went right for Leo, not stopping to say hello. After thanking them profusely, she left.

Blair turned to Dan. "Well that was fun."

He smiled and agreed. "Yeah, it was. He's a really easy kid. A dream compared to what Milo was."

Blair smirked. "Well, Leo's mother isn't a psychopath."

"That she isn't, babe," he laughed, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her temple. "That she isn't."

"We make a pretty good team," Blair said, smiling at the words.

"That we do," Dan agreed, kissing her again.

As they fell asleep that night, they both missed the static of the baby monitor.

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**A/N:** I know some of you were hoping to find out their doctor's results, but I wanted to do a happier/lighter chapter first. You'll find out next chapter. How was this chapter? Review please!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Can you believe it? I updated in less than a week! Thanks for all of the reviews..I'm glad you're sticking with the story. I have a soft spot for this one. Okay...this chapter is a little sad. Just a warning. BUT I promise it will be the saddest chapter I write. We can only go uphill from here. There _is_ an **M-rated **scene in this FYI.

I'd also like to thank Sara. Thank you, thank you. :) Hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl.

* * *

The next week passed by fairly quickly. Knowing the doctor would call at any moment, Dan wanted to spend one last weekend with Blair pretending that everything was okay. So on Friday at noon, he left work early because he was "sick" and went to pick up Blair. He had seen on her calendar that she had an appointment at a design center in the city, and so he quickly took the subway there.

After asking numerous people where the fabric section was, (he assumed that's why she was there...it was seriously all she talked about these days), he finally found her. But, he was wrong; she was actually looking at wallpaper.

Blair was leaning against a high counter browsing through large wallpaper books. He watched her for a moment before announcing his presence. He smiled at the way she was biting her lip, her face completely serious. She was scrutinizing each sample sheet, touching the fabric to feel the texture, and flipping the pages back and forth to compare to patterns.

"I like the first one," Dan said, still standing a couple feet away.

Blair looked at him in shock. "What are earth are you doing here?"

Dan walked over to the counter and looked at the wallpaper more closely. It had thick, colorful stripes: a rose pink, a leafy green, and light gray tones. The material looked like satin; it was exquisite. "What room is this going in?" he asked, completely ignoring her previous question.

"The dining room," Blair replied in a dazed voice, still incredibly confused.

Dan nodded and smiled. "I like it. It's makes me feel happy."

Blair grinned at his comment. "That's why I chose it." She wrapped an arm around his side. "What are you doing here?"

"I have come to kidnap you."

"Kidnap me?" she asked, thoroughly amused. "Where are we going?"

He kissed her head. "That's for me to know and you to find out." He looked around the table. "Can you continue this next week?"

"Yeah. Just give me a minute to put these books away." Blair quickly wrote down the order numbers in her notepad and gathered up the books. After giving them back to the employees, she flashed Dan a cheeky smile and took his hand, not hiding her excitement in the slightest.

After getting the car and heading back home, Dan instructed Blair to pack enough clothes for the weekend. He told her nothing other than to bring casual clothes and a heavy sweater, as the nearing of December wind chill was in full swing.

Dan made some sandwiches for the car and they started the drive. Blair became increasingly curious as the drive went on, but she knew no matter where they were going that she would love it. Dan kept her mind off of guessing by playing silly license plate games and bickering over which radio station they should listen to. Three and a half hours later, as the sun was setting, Dan drove past a sign that said _Welcome to Newport, Rhode Island. _

"You brought me to Newport? I've always wanted to come here!" Blair said, unable to contain her wide smile.

"I know."

He drove along the coast towards where they were staying. Even for a late November night, the sunset was breathtaking and the ocean was a beautiful blue. A few minutes later they arrived at a quaint bed and breakfast. It was situated right on the beach with a porch wrapping around the entire house. "This will be perfect," Blair said, loving the idea of a relaxing weekend.

When they walked inside, a sunny woman met them. "Hi there. My name's Mary and I am the owner of this little B&B. Let me show to your room."

Their room was a calm green color, instantly soothing Blair. There was a large bay window that had an unobstructed view of the ocean, with a window seat right below it. Before she left, Mary said, "I always make folks dinner on their first night here. Just come on down whenever you're ready."

After dinner and reading for a bit, they crawled into bed relaxing into each others bodies.

**::**

When they woke up the next day, they pulled on their comfy sweaters and sat down on the porch. Mary had made breakfast and coffee, and Blair wanted to enjoy it while listening to the waves. _Cold be damned_.

A little while later, Dan and Blair strolled hand-in-hand through town, where they window-shopped and enjoyed a breath of fresh air away from the city. After lunch, they meandered their way back to the B&B. Blair wanted to take some pictures of the coast and Dan sat down in the sand and watched. Besides seeing her with Leo, Dan couldn't help but notice - yet again - that when Blair had a camera in her hand, she was completely relaxed.

Even though it was getting chillier, Blair insisted they stay on the porch a little while longer. It helped that she was sitting close to Dan and drinking warm tea that Mary brought out. They chatted about random things until Dan's phone went off.

"Don't answer it," Blair insisted, loving their uninterrupted time.

Dan froze when he looked at his phone. "It's the doctor."

Blair sat up. "What are you waiting for? Answer it!" Dan didn't even bother rolling his eyes.

"Hello?" Dan answered, switching it to speaker phone so Blair could hear too.

"Hello Daniel. Is Blair with you?" the old doctor spoke.

Blair cleared her throat. "Yes, I'm here too. Do you have the results?"

"Yes, I do. Well, let's start off with the good news. I always like to start off with the good news."

"Okay..." Blair said, urging him on.

"The good news is that you _will_ be able to have kids. It may take time, but with the right treatment, you can be parents."

"Treatment?" Dan asked, confused.

The doctor took a breath. "Yes. From the testing we had done...well, it seems Blair's fallopian tubes are blocked. It is not at all uncommon, so don't worry about that."

Blair froze. _So...that's it. It's me._

Dan looked at Blair. She was completely still, staring out at the ocean, but not really focusing on it. She made no move to respond back to the doctor, so he did. He cleared his throat and looked down at the phone. "So, what does that mean?"

The doctor explained, "Well it means that when the egg is released from the ovary to travel to the uterus, the path is blocked. In other words, the fallopian tubes are where the egg is fertilized, so if the tube is blocked, it can't do that. That's why Blair can't get pregnant."

When Dan didn't say anything, the doctor continued. "For what it's worth, it's actually a good thing we realized this. For one, we now know there really _is_ a problem. Your instincts were right. Some couples have unexplained infertility, which is often much harder. And most importantly, there is a way around this."

"What would that be?"

"Well you have two options. The first option is Blair could undergo a tuboplasty, which is a surgery that tries to restore the tubes back to normal function. Then you can try on you own again. The second option is IVF. It's less invasive, more cost efficient, and well, the results are immediate. It's by no means an easy process, but because Blair's uterus and eggs look great, and there are no problems with you Dan, I am confident IVF is your best bet." The doctor tried his best to sound upbeat.

"How long do we have to let you know?" Dan asked.

The old man chuckled. "Whenever you want."

"Is Blair okay though? If she doesn't get the surgery..."

"She'll be fine," the doctor assured him. "None of this is life-threatening in the slightest."

Dan nodded and rubbed his chin. He looked at Blair again. She was in the same position, looking at the same..._nothing_. He picked the phone up and took it off speaker. He then walked around the porch to the other side.

"I gotta tell you Doc, this is going to kill her. Why couldn't you lie and say I was the problem?" he joked, but was totally serious.

"Daniel, couples go through this everyday. It will take time for it to sink in, but once it does, she'll learn to accept it. Just be there for her."

"I will," Dan promised. He was silent for a moment. "Was this caused by her bulimia?"

"No," the doctor said immediately. "Make sure she knows that."

Dan could have cried in relief. "I will. We'll discuss everything you told us and call you next week. Thanks for everything."

After he said goodbye, he walked back around the porch. When he turned the corner, Blair was gone. His heart constricted and he panicked thinking of all the places she could have fled to.

He nearly cried in relief a second time when he spotted her on the beach. He walked off the porch and started towards her. She was kneeling in the sand with her back hunched. He thought she was crying, but when he kneeled down next to her, he saw that she had the same blank expression on her face. She was staring down at the sand not making any movement.

"Blair?"

She didn't respond. She didn't even look at him. Dan closed his eyes; he was frustrated and worried. The fact that she had already stopped speaking to him wasn't a good sign. When he opened his eyes, he thought he was imagining things. Blair was running towards the ocean, stripping her clothes along the way. When she was down to her underwear and bra, she dove into the waves.

Dan watched her for a moment in shock. He only began to breathe normally again when he saw that she wasn't trying to purposely drown (and kill) herself. Instead, she was swimming out to a sandbar.

"Blair!" Dan called out to her even though she couldn't hear him.

Seeing no other way, Dan dove in behind her. The water was so glacial, Dan thought his body was going to shatter into a million pieces. As he swam towards her, his entire body felt heavy. _So, so_ heavy. When he came up for a breath, he saw that she had made it to the sandbar.

It took another minute, but he finally reached her. She was shivering frantically, sitting on the sand with her arms wrapped around her knees. Dan climbed up onto the sand and slowly caught his breath. He lungs screamed in pain each time he inhaled a breath and he felt as if an elephant was sitting on his chest. Whatever he was feeling, he was sure Blair felt a thousand times worse.

"Blair," Dan started but then stopped for a breath. "We have to go back inside. We're gonna get sick." He looked back at the beach. He knew it was close, but right now it felt so far away. He saw Mary run off the porch, obviously seeing them in the water. She was waving her hands, motioning for them to come inside, and yelling something Dan couldn't hear.

"Why is it always me?" she asked in a soft voice.

"What?"

"Why am I so _broken_?" Her voice cracked a little and she looked up at him for the first time since they answered the phone. Dan actually wished she _were _crying, because the look in her eyes practically ripped his heart apart. There was so much sadness in them, _so_ much pain, he could hardly remember what they normally looked like.

He looked up at the sky so he could avoid her gaze. He felt tears prickling his eyes and sighed. He did _not_ want to cry. Not when she was this upset. But his body hurt, his head hurt, his heart hurt...

His _wife_ hurt.

He rubbed the tears away. "You are not broken, Blair." He looked at her again and took her hands. He repeated the words, "You are _not_ broken."

"Why does it feel like I am?" Only then did she start to cry.

He shook his head. "I don't know. But please believe me when I say that you're not." He reached over and wiped her tears away. Her skin felt like ice. At this point, he was so cold, he felt numb.

"Blair, let's go back inside," he said softly.

She nodded silently and stood up with him. Hands still grasped, they dove in together. They swam like that the entire way until the end, when Dan had to pretty much carry Blair. She was so spent she could barely keep her eyes open.

Mary met them on the beach with large wool blankets. Dan could tell that she was yelling at them for jumping in the freezing water, but he couldn't hear anything she was saying. Nor did he really care.

He wrapped one of the blankets around Blair and led her inside and up to their room. When she sat down on the bed, he drew her a hot bath. Her lips were purple and her teeth were chattering. He caught sight of himself in the mirror and saw he looked just like Blair.

Dan took off her underwear and bra and slowly helped her into the tub. Even though she was still crying a little, she seemed to relax once she was under the hot water. He stared at her for a moment, unsure of what to do.

_Well, if she didn't drown herself in the ocean, chances are she won't do it here._

When he decided she would be okay by herself, he turned on the shower. As fast as he could, he stripped off his clothes and stepped under the water. His entire body burned, the difference in temperatures clashing suddenly, and a moment later he felt his body slowly start to defrost.

He closed his eyes and stood directly under the stream of water. He didn't know how much time went by, but suddenly he felt something cold on his back. The feeling spread throughout his waist and it took a moment to realize what it was.

He gave a small smile when he realized it was Blair wrapping her arms around him.

Dan turned around in her arms and pulled her close, kissing her head. He lifted her chin to press his lips against hers, and gently eased her mouth open with his tongue. His heart fluttered at the feeling and in that moment he was so in love with her, he didn't think it was fair to the rest of the world.

He picked her up and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him. He was still slightly cold, but with Blair wrapped around him, he felt so much warmer. Dan rubbed his hands up and down her back suggestively, never stopping from kissing every inch of her face. Taking the hint, Blair shook her head.

"There's no point," she said, voice breaking again.

Dan's heart lurched and he rested his forehead against hers. "Don't say that. _Please _don't say that."

"Okay," she whispered. She adjusted her position and sank into him. They both moaned at the sensation and it didn't take long for them to reach their peak. Dan didn't make any movement to put her down, so he rested her back against the shower wall. Even with the shower still running, with water spraying against their bodies, he knew Blair was crying. He leaned in and pressed his lips to her cheeks, kissing the tears away.

"I love you so much," Dan said, whispering against her skin.

"I love you too," Blair returned, feeling relief in know that's the one thing that will never change.

Now finally warm, they both got out of the shower. After drying off, they changed into their pajamas and got into bed. The sheets felt soft and clean and Dan knew it wouldn't take long for them to fall asleep. Blair curled her body into his, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

That statement meant so many things, and each one of them broke Dan's heart.

_I'm sorry for breaking down in the middle of the sea._

_I'm sorry for saying there's no point in expressing our love for each other._

_I'm sorry my body can't do the one thing it's made for._

_I'm sorry I can't give you the one thing you long for._

Dan sighed and kissed her head. "You never have to apologize to me for anything. I love you exactly the way that you are. Besides, I'm sort of glad you're not perfect. Perfect's not really my style."

She smiled for the first time in hours. And soon, they were both asleep.

**::**

When Dan woke, he immediately felt his head throbbing. He opened his eyes slightly and inwardly groaned at the sunlight. Even without his eyes open he could tell Blair wasn't in bed. When he was able to open his eyes fully, he looked over to the bay window where Blair was sitting on the window seat. She was cradling a coffee mug in her hands, taking a sip every so often and gazing out at the ocean.

"Morning," Dan said groggily. She turned to him and smiled.

He slowly got out of bed and went over to the window seat. She leaned her head up and pursed her lips. He smiled and kissed her, feeling her smile grow against his mouth too.

He sat down beside her, looked out at the ocean, and then back at her. She wordlessly handed him her coffee mug and he graciously took a sip.

"My head's killing me."

She smiled. "Same." She continued to stare out the window. Shaking her head, she asked, "Why the _hell_ did I jump in the ocean?"

He chuckled, "I don't know." He then grew a little serious. "You were in shock."

"Yeah."

Dan took her hand. "Blair, just so you know, this wasn't caused by your bulimia."

He saw her entire body change, relief washing off of her. She sighed. "Really?"

He nodded. "It's not your fault, okay? These things just happen sometimes."

"Okay," she said, still feeling so much relief.

Comfortable silence ensued for a minute. Blair broke it.

"I think we should do IVF."

Dan met her eyes. "Blair, are you sure? There's no rush. You can think about it for as long as you'd like."

She shook her head. "I've been thinking about this since the day we got married. If this is the way for me to have a baby with you...why _wouldn't_ we do it?"

Dan smiled and kissed her. "Okay then. We'll call the doctor this week and find out more."

"Okay." Blair smiled and she finally looked happy and hopeful again.

"Let's go home."

* * *

**A/N:** Thoughts?


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Sorry it's taken me so long to get this up. Life's been crazy. Thank you again for your continued reviews, alerts, & favorites. I love hearing what you think about this story. I'd also like to thank Katie, for beta-ing this for me. :) Enjoy!

Also- Sara, thank you. :)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

Dan was right. Their little "swim" in the ocean? (Swim being the _ultimate _euphemism.)

It made them sick as dogs.

Their colds lasted the entire week after their vacation. They spent their days curled up in bed, blowing their noses and coughing up a storm. They had little appetite, but when they had gone too long without eating, they literally played rock-paper-scissors to see who would have to get out of bed and cook something.

Somehow, Dan always won. But Blair's helpless, hopeless, quite adorable sulk always won him over. So every time, he dragged himself out of bed and crawled into the kitchen. It was little things like that that made Blair fall in love with him all over again.

They saw and talked to no one from the outside world. They sent the occasional "we're fine" text to their friends to keep them from worrying, but the only time they spoke to someone was when they called their doctor. The twenty-minute conversation Blair made to make an appointment was enough to make her fall over in exhaustion. But she immediately felt a little better knowing they were one step closer in the process to become parents.

Finally by their appointment the following Monday they felt one hundred percent better. That morning Dan made sure to wake up before Blair. He made tea (coffee had been banished from their pantry), walked to the corner bakery to get her favorite croissants, and stopped by the flower shop to get her red roses: their wedding flower.

He got back ten minutes before she woke up. When she wandered down the stairs, she was already dressed with make-up on, looking especially beautiful.

"Do I smell roses?" she asked, nose tilted slightly in the air.

"Yes you do... _and_ chocolate," Dan said proudly, showing her the plate of croissants.

She gave a warm smile. "Are we back in Paris?"

He smiled. "Nope. Still Brooklyn."

She wrinkled her nose. "A girl can dream."

"Hey, now. Don't go hating on Brooklyn. You are, after all, a resident now," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

She smirked. "Oh, that's right. I am," she teased, pressing her lips to his. "Good morning."

"It is," he replied, kissing her again.

"I can't believe you did this," she said, bending over to smell the roses on the table.

"Well today is a big day in our house. We're both completely new to this whole IVF process. I figured this would only make the day better. Calm your nerves," he said, handing her a cup of warm chamomile tea.

She graciously took a sip and smiled at the taste. "It does."

After their breakfast, they still had time to spare. Although they were excited, nerves hung heavy in the air. They quietly sat at the table and waited for the minutes to go by, but became impatient in a matter of seconds.

"If we leave now, will we be obnoxiously early?" Blair asked, hoping the answer was no.

"Nope," Dan said quickly, knowing the answer was yes.

They were in the city in no time at all and after waiting ten minutes, were brought back to Doctor Pearson's office. The doctor gestured to the two chairs and Blair and Dan sat down.

"I'm glad you came in," he said, sitting down in the chair behind his desk. "How are you both doing?"

Dan reached for Blair's hand and laced their fingers together. "We're..."

"Good," Blair finished. "I had a little meltdown of sorts last week after your call, but I'm okay now." Dan gave her a comforting smile and squeezed her hand.

"Again, I'm sorry the results weren't what you'd hoped. News like that is difficult to hear. You're lucky you have an amazing support system like Daniel here."

Blair smiled and gave a nod. "I know." She looked at Dan and felt herself getting emotional. "He's the best."

"Well," Doctor Pearson said in a more upbeat voice, "At least we have a solution. Which is why you're here today, correct?"

Dan nodded. "Yes. We would like to do IVF, and we were hoping you could go through the process with us."

"Of course. Like I said last week, Blair's uterus and eggs are in perfect condition. I really believe this is your best option for success." He gave a positive smile.

Blair let out a sigh of relief. Even though Dan told her last week, she was too numb to hear it from the doctor himself. Hearing him say the words again made her relax a little.

"Okay kids. It's not an easy thing to go through. I'm not saying this to scare you; I'm just being honest. Blair, at times it will be uncomfortable, painful, and just plain exhausting. But it will be more than worth it in the end." He gathered up some papers on his desk and organized his notes. "Alright, so let's go through the Humphrey IVF schedule."

And so they went through it. Blair just about melted when she saw Dan quickly take out his little writer's notepad to take notes. Even though they would be leaving with massive amounts of paperwork with all of the information, he still scribbled down important medical terms, drug names, the best way to give Blair hormone shots, and so on and so forth.

Hearing the doctor talk through exactly what she would have to do was a little overwhelming. She would have to take birth control (which seemed like an oxymoron), receive hormone shots, and take some medications. The whole process would take around a month total, the last week consisting of an egg retrieval, and then the transfer itself. Blair and Dan left feeling anxious and ready. They decided to start immediately.

**::**

After two weeks of taking birth control, which Blair deemed as so "high school," they moved onto the hard part: hormone shots.

"Okay Blair. Ready?" Dan asked, holding up the needle. Once Blair saw it, she broke down.

"Yes. No." Blair sniffled. "Yes."

Dan gave an empathetic smile and sat down beside her. "I _know_ this is hard. And I'm so sorry you have to go through everything. I love you so much for it and I'm so proud of you. But I promise to try and do it as quick and painless as possible. Okay?"

Blair wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve, nodding. After taking a deep breath, she said, "Okay." She gave a watery smile. "And I love you too."

Blair watched him move towards her hip and gasped. Not in pain, but in shock. Something freezing cold was pressed against her. "What is that?"

Dan chuckled. "Ice. I thought it would be helpful if I numbed the area for a minute."

Blair leaned over and softly pressed her lips to his. "Thank you."

After a minute of icing her waist, Dan picked up the needle. "Okay. On the count of three...one, two, three-"

Tears fell down Blair's cheeks as she felt the prick of the needle. The ice had helped soothe the skin some, but she still felt the burn. Even after Dan pulled the needle out of her skin, the pain continued tugging at her side.

"Done," Dan announced, placing the used shot on the table.

Blair took another deep breath, wiped her tears away, and forced a smile onto her face. "That was pretty impressive Humphrey."

Dan shrugged. "What can I tell ya? I'm a professional."

Blair laughed at that, thankful for a husband who could bring a smile to her face, even in their hardest hour. "Well, only eleven more to go."

"By the end of the week, I'll be doing it with my eyes closed," he said, continuing the joke.

Blair narrowed her eyes. "No you won't, because you're sticking a needle in my side. And if you even dare close your eyes, that needle will be going into _yours._"

"Kidding, kidding," he said, holding up his hands in defense, a sly grin on his face all the while.

He stood up to throw away the used shot and put the hormone bottles away. Blair watched from the couch as he diligently screwed the lids on tight and wrapped the needle in something that would hide it in the trash.

_Only eleven more. Only eleven more._ _Only eleven more._

**::**

The following morning, Dan was craving pancakes, and by some preposterous reason, they were out of the ingredients. Blair simply rolled her eyes when she agreed to going to the diner (yes, _diner) _down the street.

They were about to walk out the door when Dan's phone rang. "Hello?"

Blair mouthed, _Who is it?_

"Oh hey, Lindsey," Dan answered, walking back into the house.

Blair waited to roll her eyes once he was out of sight. Expecting the conversation would be short, she continued the walk to the car and got in. However, twenty minutes later, Dan was still inside. Once she opened the car door to get him, he walked out.

She gave him her perfected death stare once he got in the car.

He saw it and just replied with, "Yeah, and I have a feeling you won't be too happy with what I'm about to tell you either."

"Does it have anything to do with Lindsey?" she bit out.

He furrowed his brow. "Uh, sort of."

Blair sighed. He was still so unaware of her feelings towards Lindsey. "What did she want?"

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the headrest. "She told me I have to go to a writer's conference in San Francisco."

Not expecting that, and frankly, feeling somewhat relieved, she replied, "Oh. Well that will be great."

He shook his head. "It's this weekend."

_And there it is._

"This weekend?" she repeated, hoping she heard him wrong. "Do you _have_ to go?"

He gripped the steering wheel in frustration. "Yeah, I do. That's why I was in there so long. I was fighting with her about it."

She rested her hand on his shoulder. "Dan, you know I support you in everything you do. _Especially_ when it comes to this book. But you going to San Francisco is not okay. You have to give me my shots. I can't do it myself!"

"Blair, I swear I tried everything to get out of it. But did you want me to tell her the real reason I couldn't go?"

"No!" Blair said immediately. "Do _not_ tell anyone. _Especially _Lindsey." She closed her eyes to hide the tears threatening to spill over. After a minute of silence, with a quavering voice, she said, "And you _have _to go?"

She felt him take her hand in his, prompting the tears to finally fall. "Yeah, I do. It's press for the book I can't miss."

Blair took a deep breath, hating how it it came out staccato, giving away how upset she really was. Her emotions lately had been so out of control, she felt foreign in her own body.

"I'm really sorry, Blair."

A small smile came upon her face and she opened her eyes to look at him. "It's okay. I know it's not your fault."

"So, you feel comfortable doing the shots on your own?" he asked quietly, wondering if they should continue this conversation later.

She shook her head. "No. I'll ask Vanessa."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," she promised. "Come on, let's go get pancakes."

**::**

The next four days, she spent every moment with Dan. It was the first time since they were married that they would be apart, and although in reality it wasn't long, she still hated the thought of it.

After a tearful goodbye Friday morning, Blair settle down and picked up the phone to call Vanessa. Part of her was hoping she wouldn't pick up, but when she did, she was instantly glad.

"Hey Vanessa, it's Blair."

"Hey B! What's up?" she said cheerfully, making Blair instantly regret the gloomy request she was about to ask.

"Would you mind coming over? I have to talk to you about something."

"Uh, sure. What time?" she asked.

"An hour?"

"Sounds good," Vanessa replied. "Leo and I will see you there!"

Blair opened her mouth to reply, but hesitated. "Actually, would it be a huge deal if you came without him?" Then, immediately feeling bad about her request, she added, "I'm sorry. It's fine. You would have to get a babysitter."

Hearing a hint of _something_ in Blair's voice, Vanessa said, "No...it's fine. James can watch him. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything's fine." Blair instantly regretted saying this - this automatic answer she used _so_ frequently - and nearly broke down and told her the truth right then and there.

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

An hour later, Blair opened the front door to greet Vanessa. Wringing her hands together, Blair led her into the living room and sat down on the couch. Vanessa immediately saw something was wrong. Her friend looked worn thin, her eyes glazed with a sadness not seen in years.

"Blair, what's wrong?"

_Breathe Blair. _"I need to tell you something," she said, inwardly scolding her breaking voice.

Vanessa took her hand. "Okay."

A tear made its way slowly down Blair's cheek. She wiped it away with her free hand. "I'm sorry I asked you to come by yourself."

Recognizing she was stalling, Vanessa brushed, "Blair, it's fine. What's wrong?"

"I just – these past few weeks have been really hard. And having Leo here today would have been really difficult, and–"

"Jesus, Blair. Has Dan's rambling rubbed off on you?" she lightly joked.

"I can't get pregnant."

Saying that nearly knocked the wind out of her. That sentence made everything official. Made her want to scream, cry, give up, keep fighting, feel weak, be strong. _Every_ emotion was thrust into that one fact, and it weighed her down heavy.

"Oh my gosh... I had no idea. Are you okay?"

Still stuck in her daze, Blair continued, "Imagine wanting something _so bad _- something you never knew you wanted. Something that will make you feel like you have a reason to be living. A thing that forever connects you to the one person you love more than anything in the entire world. And then imagine that being taken away from you. Taken away from you, _because _of you." She was sobbing at this point. Embarrassed by her break down, embarrassed by her broken body, embarrassed by the whole situation. It was all exhausting.

"Blair, I'm so sorry." Vanessa wiped away a tear before it fell, wanting to be the stronger of the two.

Blair calmed down a bit, feeling relief in getting it off her chest and talking out loud about it; the secrecy had been eating away at her. She watched Vanessa get up and gave a small smile a moment later when she came back with tissues. Wiping her eyes, she said, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I'd be such a mess."

Vanessa shook her head. "Blair, you don't have to apologize. I feel like _I_ should be the one apologizing. I was so wrapped up in Leo, I was oblivious." She paused for a second, lost in thought. "Oh my gosh. I dragged you to a baby store. I made you and Dan babysit..." She turned to Blair, open-mouthed and apologetic. "I'm so sorry I put you through that."

Blair managed a light chuckle. "Stop! It was my choice to do all of that."

Vanessa brought a hand to her forehead. "I still feel terrible."

"It's really okay," Blair reassured before releasing an involuntary sigh. "But, there's something I need you to help me with."

"Anything."

"I need you to give me a hormone shot." Blair watched as a look of shock spread across Vanessa's face.

Clarifying, Vanessa repeated, "You... need me to give you a shot?"

Blair nodded. "That's the silver lining in this whole ordeal. We can't get pregnant on our own, but with the help of IVF... we can." Blair let herself smile for that fact.

"Oh!" Vanessa gave a hesitant smile too. "That's great!"

"Yeah, it is. But it's a really difficult process." She sighed, "But it will be worth it in the end."

Vanessa squeezed her hand again. "I know first-hand that it_ will_. I promise Blair, you and Dan are going to be the best parents. You _know_ I would only leave Leo with you guys." She gave a comforting smile. "Now, tell me how to do that shot."

And so for the next three days, Vanessa took over for Dan. Blair was immensely grateful when she continued to show up without Leo. It was moments like that where Blair couldn't believe how mean she was to Vanessa all those years ago. Time really did change people. (And she could say that for the both of them.)

The pain of the needle dulled each time, but it still tugged deep within Blair. She couldn't wait for her husband to be home; she swore it hurt less when he did it.

**::**

"Blair?" Dan called as he walked in the front door. The silent response immediately revealed where she was.

Minutes later he walked onto the rooftop. She was sitting in one of the chairs, red wine cradled in her hands and her camera beside her. She was faced towards Manhattan, as if she was looking towards a simpler time; when things were tough but conquerable. He stood there, thankful for his unknown presence, and watched as the fiery rays of the sunset glowed over her. His absence and its effect on her hit him right then. Regret filled him to the brim, and he couldn't believe he had left her. Yes, it was only three days, and of crucial importance to his career. But being here – right now at this moment in their lives – was more important than anything and everything.

The wind blew the door shut, and Blair turned towards the sound. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back when she saw him standing there. Slowly, she heard his footsteps venture towards her. She felt a shadow come over her face and his lips on hers a moment later. Dan took the wine glass out of her hands and placed it on the table before pulling her up. After wrapping his arms around her, he kissed every part of her face before just setting on embracing her. Blair buried her head in the crook of his neck and relaxed in his arms. "I'm glad your home," she whispered, meaning every word.

"I love you," was all he said back. "I love you so much."

"Good," she said pulling away. "I thought those three days away from me would show you what you could have." She gave a playful smirk.

He chuckled deeply and pulled her close again. "No, it did just the opposite." He kissed her temple and they sat down in the chairs again.

"Are you hungry? Did you eat on the flight?" she asked, missing no beat in jumping right back into their domestic roles.

He held up a hand. "No, I'm fine. I just want to sit here with you and watch the sunset."

"Okay," she said resting her head back. She watched as he moved his chair closer to her, taking her hand and kissing it as he sat down. As he looked towards the lowering sun, Blair studied him, every inch of his face, and felt solace in knowing nothing changed about him at all.

"Did Vanessa give you the shots?" he asked turning to her, and snapping her out of thought.

"Yeah, she did." She closed her eyes again, willing away the emotion that came with those words. After opening them, she continued, "But can we not talk about that right now? Like you said, I just want to sit here and watch the sunset with you."

"Okay," he said without thought, kissing her hand once again. And so they sat and watched the sunset, reveling in the small break from the hurdles they were slowly crossing.

* * *

**A/N**: Thoughts?


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Hey guys! Okay, I just have a few quick things to say.

First and foremost, thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews. I really appreciate you taking the time.

Okay. I also wanted to say something about Blair to the few people who criticized my version of her. I _am_ aware that she is a little more OOC (out of character) in this story than you may be used to. Mind you, when I wrote the Portrait and the Pen, I had not seen Dan and Blair together on the show like we have the past few months. This was my own interpretation of them and I just went with it. I am fairly new to writing still and am continuing to figure out my writing and character styles. I know there are some weak points in my writing and story lines…I am very aware of that. I am working with a new beta (thanks Katie!) who is going to help me try and keep Blair more in character. However, this _is_ a sequel, and it is more than half-way done. I have already set the pace for Blair, and therefore pretty limited to how much I can change her at this point. I am a work in progress, and I can promise you that in any future stories I write, I will keep her more true to the character from the show.

And to the (few) anonymous reviewers: If you don't understand a part of this story or are wondering why I wrote a character a certain way...that's fine. But I would rather you not do it anonymously. That way I can respond to you privately and explain myself a little more.

Enough of that...onto the chapter. Thanks again to Katie, my lovely beta. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its charaters.

* * *

The past two weeks had been tiresome and rough. Blair had added progesterone shots on top of the other hormone injections, and they were surprisingly very painful. Not to mention, all of the drugs had caused her mood to change at the drop of a hat. One morning, Dan had had the nerve to take out the trash before bringing Blair her tea. The way her eyes narrowed and how quick she had snapped at him had given Dan a glimpse of the Constance Billard-Blair – someone he hadn't seen in a long time. Overall, she was incredibly impatient; she was tired of feeling uncomfortable in her own body.

The most difficult part of the entire IVF process had been the egg retrieval. After the procedure, which went just as they'd hoped, Blair was left feeling sore and achy. She was told to rest for a few days and stay off her feet, and she really didn't mind that request in the slightest. Dan had taken those three days off of work to help around the house. He cooked all their meals, painted their study, and even went to the design center to order the wallpaper she had picked out for their dining room. She was absolutely smitten with him, and she couldn't help but relax at his presence around the house.

Both she and Dan had been a ball of nerves the day of the transfer, but thankfully everything had gone as smoothly as the retrieval. Blair could test in two weeks.

**::**

_Today's the day_, Blair thought the second she woke up. She didn't want to open her eyes just yet, because the second she opened them, it meant she was really awake. The day really started. And today could either be the best or worst day of their lives.

"What are you thinking about?" Dan's voice asked, and Blair couldn't help but smile. He always knew when she was awake or sleeping.

Taking a deep breath, Blair turned on her side to face him. Eyes still closed, she said, "That this could either turn out really great or really horrible."

"Open your eyes," he said gently, running his thumb down the side of her face.

She merely shook her head. "Not yet."

She felt him shift closer to her, and a second later felt his lips softly sprinkle kisses on her eyelids.

"Today's going to be a good day," he promised, and she finally opened those gorgeous almond eyes.

She sighed and pressed her lips to his. "I'm choosing to believe you," she lightly teased, but he knew better.

"Let's get dressed."

An hour later, they walked hand in hand into Dr. Pearson's office. Blair was white as a ghost, and Dan knew that if he said one more comforting word or kissed her one her one more time, she would break. She was hanging off the edge.

Thankfully, they were brought back into an exam room immediately. Instead of the standard pregnancy test, the nurse opted for a blood test. As the nurse tied the thick rubber band around her upper arm, Blair clenched her hand in a fist.

"Just relax," the nurse said. "Otherwise it will hurt more."

_I doubt that,_ Blair thought.

She felt the prick of the needle, and then it was over as soon as it started.

"We'll check your hCG level, which is a pregnancy hormone. If your number is over 30, you're pregnant," the nurse said in an upbeat tone, before leading Blair out. "We'll call you in a few hours with the results."

"Thank you," Blair managed to say. She spotted Dan right away in the waiting room.

He took her hand. "And now we wait."

**::**

Blair liked being in control. When she went through her years with bulimia, she did it because it was something she could manage. Her years as Queen B provided her with minions to have authority over. Blair liked power. Over the years her intentions behind that power had changed, but she never swayed from liking to rule over people – over herself.

So, during those few hours they had before the fateful phone call, Blair did something she could control...

_Clean._

From the second she walked in the door, Dan watched in amusement as Blair ran into the closet and grabbed the mop and bucket. He felt slightly tempted to get out the video camera and tape her, knowing this happened _so rarely – _rarely being never – physical proof was prime. She didn't even change out of her Givenchy dress or Prada heels – she was _that _frantic.

Dan just shook his head and let her carry on, knowing nothing else was going to keep her mind off of the call. Cleaning was probably the only thing that would keep her calm.

He finally forced her to take a break at noon. "Blair," he said, stepping into the bathroom. She didn't look up.

You know something is wrong with Blair Humphrey (née Waldorf) when she is scrubbing a toilet. He repeated his words. "Blair."

"What?" she asked in an exasperated tone.

Dan held up his hand as if to say _I come in peace_, and her face softened.

"I'm sorry. But if I stop and think for too long, I'll lose it," she said, voice breaking.

"I know, Love," he said, understanding completely. "I just figured you'd want some lunch. You need to eat something; you gave blood this morning."

She shot him a flat look that iced the room.

"You obviously know that," he said, wincing at his brief mental lapse. "I made us some sandwiches. You can come back and finish this after you eat."

She complied with a sigh, but once he led her up to the roof, she broke into a smile. He had set out a table, covered in a ruffled tablecloth. Roses (_their_ flower) were in a vase, sitting next to a spread of sandwiches and fruit. She took his hand and kissed it. "Thanks. I'm sorry I was short with you."

"Remember I said you never have to apologize?" he teased, pulling out her chair.

She rolled her eyes with an appreciative smile and took a bite of watermelon. She watched Dan do the same, and of course, as everything did these days, she felt herself getting emotional.

_Is this the last meal we'll ever eat with hope? Or without real heartbreak?_

_Every time I eat watermelon again, will it remind me of a happy or sad memory?_

_Is this the last meal we'll be eating as a couple? Just the two of us?_

Her phone snapped her out of her daze. She looked at the screen and her heart stopped. "It's them."

And that was all she needed to say.

She quickly brought the phone to her ear. "Hello?" She didn't have time for proper greetings.

"Hi Blair, this is Dr. Pearson calling. I have your test results." His voice was eerily calm; Blair couldn't tell if that was good or bad. "Can you please put the phone on speaker?"

Blair did as she was told. Dan leaned over and kissed her cheek, before taking her hand.

"Hi Doctor Pearson," Dan said, leaning over the phone. "We're both here, and hoping for some good news."

"How about great news?" came the doctor's voice. Blair's eyes met Dan's, but she looked too afraid to show any emotion.

"I'm so happy to be the one to tell you this, kids. It worked." They could practically hear the smile through his voice.

"Really?" Dan asked quietly.

"Really," the doctor confirmed. "Your levels came back at 137. As of right now, Blair, you are pregnant. Congratulations you two."

Dan brought a hand to his forehead. "Oh my gosh! That's great! Thank you so much, Doctor Pearson."

"It was my pleasure. I'm so happy for you guys. Blair, you'll just need to come in once more in two days to make sure your hCG levels are rising correctly, and then an ultrasound shortly after. Once everything looks great, you'll be released to your OB."

Blair still looked to be in shock, so Dan said goodbye. "Will do, Doc. Thanks again, so much." Dan ended the call and placed it the table beside them.

"I can't believe it," he said slowly, turning to Blair. "It worked." A huge grin came upon his face.

"Oh...my...gosh," she said quietly, biting her lip to try and suppress her smile. "I'm pregnant?" Her voice broke, but for good reason.

Dan smiled and nodded. "Yeah. We're having a baby."

Beaming, she wrapped her arms around him. "We're having a baby," she tearfully whispered, lips close to his ear.

When she pulled away, Dan captured her lips with his. "I love you so much," he mumbled against her mouth.

"I love you too." She wiped her tears away, but they continued to fall. "I can't believe I'm pregnant!" She placed a hand on her still very flat stomach.

"I know," Dan said, eyes glued to her abdomen. "It's crazy. There's a little piece of you and me in there."

"I can't believe it worked. All of those months of disappointment and heartbreak are _so _worth this feeling." Her eyes were sparkling and her smile couldn't get any bigger. However, a second later, her face fell slightly.

"What is it?" Dan asked quickly, jumping into his new paternal role.

Fresh tears rimmed her eyes. "What if something goes wrong? I mean, I'm pregnant today, but what if something happens tomorrow?"

Dan kissed her temple before embracing her again. "Let's not think about that today. Today, you are pregnant. Today, you have our child inside of you. Today, we're going to be parents in nine months. Today, we already _are_ parents. Let's take this one step at a time. Just like IVF."

When Blair pulled away, she gave a watery smile. "I like that. That we're already parents."

"Me too," he smiled. "We've been waiting a long time to say that. And now that we can, let's not be too afraid to say it. Okay?"

"Okay," she promised.

"Now, can you _please_ stop cleaning?" Dan begged, hoping to have his wife back to her usual self.

She sighed. "I suppose. But, I do need to finish cleaning that toilet."

"I'll do it. Or, the housekeeper you insisted on hiring can do it. You just sit down and relax for a minute, okay?" He stood up and took her hand, leading her downstairs.

"Okay." A second later, she stopped walking. "But Daniel, just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm incapable of doing anything."

He smirked at this. If her cleaning spree was any hint of what her pregnancy would be like, he really did believe she was capable of doing anything_._ "We'll see about that," he said anyway.

_It's going to be a _long_ nine months._

**::**

Two weeks later, Blair woke up and found Dan lying on top of the sheets beside her, eyes glued to her. "The staring is becoming borderline creepy," she said in a tired, but blissful voice.

"It's not staring. It's gazing," he said defensively. "But you're pregnant. With my _child_," he said in an excited voice.

Blair gave a sleepy smile. "You're pretty cute about this whole baby thing." She brought her hand up to caress his cheek.

"I'm just so happy," he said honestly, and Blair knew he meant every word.

"Me too," she smiled. "I can't believe we get to see the baby today." She moved her hand to her lean stomach. "It feels like forever ago we were released to the OB."

Dan breathed out a laugh. "I know."

Blair turned and looked at the clock. "Alright, I better get a move on if we want to beat traffic." She got up and padded her way to the bathroom. While she was showering, Dan went downstairs to make her breakfast.

When Blair came down and saw her omelet with fresh fruit on the side, she melted. "This is all very sweet," she said, surveying the table with a smile.

"It was the least I could do," he shrugged. "Now eat up."

"Alright, alright," she complied, taking a bite of her eggs.

Shortly later, they cheerfully walked hand in hand into the obstetrician's office. Blair was far too excited to be nervous. In these two weeks, she had started to feel an exhaustion she wasn't used to. It at least gave her hope that there _was_ a baby.

It wasn't until they were led back to the room and the nurse asked her to change into a gown that Blair started becoming anxious.

Once changed, she lied down on the cold faux leather that made up the table. She avoided Dan's eyes, knowing he read her like a book, and stared at the ceiling instead.

"Hey Waldorf," Dan said, prompting a small smile from Blair. He always knew her maiden name would work. She merely turned her head to him in response.

He continued, "Breathe."

Blair took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the action and his calming voice cuing tears to form. "Okay," she said softly. "Everything will be fine." She continued taking breaths, inhaling and exhaling slowly. She closed her eyes to focus on relaxing and felt Dan take her hand. A moment later, he kissed her forehead.

"Love you," he mumbled against her skin.

"Love you more," she replied in a whisper.

"Not possible."

Blair opened her eyes at that line, wanting to see his face. She smiled when she saw him right above her head, and tilted her head up. His pressed his lips to hers, and Blair sighed at the feeling. All of the nerves were sucked out of her, and a new sense of peace was poured in. A moment after Dan pulled away, a knock sounded through the door.

Blair cleared her throat and wiped her watering eyes, hoping to cover up her emotions. "You can come in."

A pleasant looking woman walked in. "Hello there. I'm Dr. Hunter," she looked down at her chart. "Blair Humphrey." She smiled at Blair and then turned to Dan. "And you must be..."

Dan stood up and reached out to shake her hand. "Dan. Nice to meet you."

"Same to you guys. You're finally here after a long road, correct?" she asked, sitting down on the small rolling chair.

"Very," Blair said, relaxing slightly at the doctor's presence. "A year and a half of trying on our own before moving to IVF."

"Wow. Well then, let's not put this off anymore. Let's take a look at your baby." She moved to wash her hands and then sat back down on the chair. Blair placed her feet in the stirrups, blushing slightly at her embarrassing position.

She bit her lip and watched as the doctor readied the ultrasound wand. "Okay Blair, this may feel slightly uncomfortable, but it shouldn't last long," the doctor said, moving the ultrasound wand in between Blair's legs.

Dan watched Blair's face twist in discomfort, and he took her hand. Blair gave an appreciative smile.

"Look at the screen you two," the doctor said, pressing buttons on the monitor. "Let me just turn up the volume..."

_thump thump thump thump..._

The sound echoed heavily throughout the room**.** Blair closed her eyes in relief, and she felt her heart speed up to the same beat.

"That's amazing," Dan whispered, eyes riveted by the screen. "Is that Blair's heart too?"

The doctor repositioned the wand. "Actually..." she said in a slightly concerned voice, her movement and tone snapping Blair's eyes open.

"What's wrong?" Blair asked immediately, squeezing Dan's hand tightly.

For a few seconds, the doctor fiddled with the keys on the machine. After what seemed like forever, she turned to Blair and Dan. "No, that's not Blair's heart. It's the second one."

"I'm sorry," Dan said shaking his head. "_What?_"

The doctor smiled widely. "Congratulations, kids. You're having twins."

Dan's jaw dropped. "Are you serious?" He looked down at Blair, who had already started crying.

The doctor continued, "Both heartbeats look great, and they are both measuring right on track at 6 weeks and 6 weeks, 2 days."

Blair's face went slightly white. "Why is one measuring behind? Is that normal?"

"It's perfectly normal," the doctor reassured. "Throughout the entire pregnancy, they will be within days of each other. If they were to measure more than a week apart, I would be worried and look more closely. But for now, they are both perfect."

Dan breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. Good." He turned to Blair and wiped away her happy tears. "It's just, we've waited so long for this, the thought of something going wrong..."

The doctor finished, "I completely understand. But let's not worry until we have to, okay?" Blair and Dan nodded. "Now, let's get some pictures for you to take home."

After their ultrasound, the doctor went over Blair's care for the next eight months. She also recommended that Blair see an MFM, a maternal-fetal medicine doctor that specializes in high-risk pregnancies. The combination of twins, previous bulimia, and the medications Blair took to conceive put her in the "high-risk" category.

An hour later, they walked through their front door. Blair mechanically walked over to the couch and lied down, still in a complete daze. Dan followed behind, but leaned against the fireplace instead. After thirty seconds of silence, Dan looked at Blair, who turned her head towards him. She didn't even try to stop the slow grin that spread across her face. Dan could only match it.

"This is _crazy_," he said in a gasp. "Right?"

"Completely," she nodded. "Did you ever think–"

"Never," he cut in. "They told us IVF caused a higher probability of multiples, but I never in a million years thought that would happen to _us._"

Blair swung her legs around and sat up. "I know," she said, opening her purse to take out the ultrasound scans. Dan walked over and sat down beside her, taking one of the pictures from her hands. They both stared at the images, memorizing each shady spot and grainy area. Blair's heart warmed when she read the labels "A" and "B" again.

"I'm going to be honest. I seriously think I'm the happiest person alive right now, but I don't think I've ever been so scared in my entire life." She couldn't help the tears that sprung to her eyes. "And I don't think I've ever cried this much in my entire life," she said, wiping her eyes.

Dan smiled and kissed her forehead. "Listen. We made it through infertility and IVF; we can do anything. Yeah, it's scary. But twins? They will always have a buddy to play with and you'll never have to worry about them not having any friends. Twins are always popular," he joked, happy to finally get a smile out of her.

"That's true," she sighed. "Everyone's going to go crazy over this."

Dan smiled, thinking about their families' reactions. "When should we tell them?"

Blair sat back on the couch, captivated by the picture again. She somehow tore her eyes away to look at him. "I want to wait until I'm twelve weeks. Just in case."

Dan nodded, agreeing. "Okay. That's smart."

"I don't know how the hell I'm going to hide it for that long. I'm sure I'll start to show soon," she said, placing a hand on her midsection.

"Not even that, but I'm so excited, I want to shout this from our rooftop." He looked at the scan again. "I know I said this before, but...it's so crazy these two little people are inside of you."

"I already love them so much, and we've known about them for two hours. Can you even imagine how much I'm going to love them once they're here?" she asked in a dream-like voice, simply unable to believe how much her heart grew within hours.

Dan's heart skipped and he couldn't help but lean forward and kiss her. "I love you so much, you know that?"

"I love you too," she said against his lips before kissing him again. "And this little family of ours...I can't wait for it."

* * *

**A/N:** Thoughts?


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Goodness. It's been too long. I am finally finished my sophomore year at college, so summer has officially started. I will have more time to write. I promise (I hope). Here is a long chapter to make up for my absence.

_Enjoy!_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

Three weeks had passed since the day they found out they were expecting twins. Although still nervous – and rightfully so – they allowed themselves to feel excited. During the first few weeks, anytime Dan would talk or ask about something regarding her pregnancy, twins, or kids in general, Blair would quickly end the conversation. Dan both shook his head in amusement and quietly understood at her thoughts that talking about it would somehow jinx it. Finally one night, Dan walked into their bedroom and was greeted by an exhausted but cheery Blair.

"Hey Dan?" Blair said, resting one of their many newly-bought baby books on her lap. She watched him sit down on the edge of the bed and slip off his shoes.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning to her.

"Do you want to find out what we're having?"

He rested the shoe on the ground and sat still for a moment in shock. She wanted to talk about the _babies_. "Huh. I hadn't really thought about that yet." He took off his other shoe. "Do _you_ want to find out?"

She bit her lip in thought for a moment. "I don't know!" she said finally, smiling widely. "Part of me wants to wait and find out. It's one of the greatest secrets in life, you know?"

He nodded, grinning widely too. "Yeah."

She met his eyes and somehow smiled wider. "But also...I think it would fun to find out soon. So we can pick names and design their nursery. I feel like with twins it would just be a little easier to know what they are."

"True," he agreed, nodding his head. "How about this?"

Blair waited for him to continue.

"How about _we_ find out, but keep it a secret from everyone else?" he proposed, liking the idea more and more.

Blair's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! That would be so fun! We can just keep their nursery locked, so no one will figure it out."

"Exactly," he said, moving to sit next to her on the bed. "And besides, I've sort of liked keeping them a secret from people. I like that we're the only ones who know."

Blair wrinkled her nose and smiled. "Me too." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "So it's settled. We will find out but keep it a secret from _everyone_ else."

"Sounds good," Dan decided, pressing his lips to hers and feeling relieved that he didn't need to avoid the subject anymore.

**::**

The next morning, Blair opened her eyes and immediately felt..._off._ Over the past few days, she had felt a shift of something within her, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. This morning, however, as she sat slowly up in bed, she knew exactly what was going on. She had been relieved that morning sickness hadn't saturated her system quite yet. For some reason, when she had walked out from getting the ultrasound, she assumed she would be overwrought with every symptom under the sun. Now that she was a week away from the second trimester, she considered herself lucky that she skipped that whole phase. Exhaustion had taken over from the start, but other than that, she felt relatively normal. Besides the hour nap she needed in the afternoon, she had a surprising amount of energy. Still, she took it easy and never overdid anything. And coming from the wave of nausea that rolled through her stomach this morning, she would continue doing just that – taking it easy.

After daintily walking to the bathroom and using it, she walked over to the corner chaise to fetch her robe. After tying the belt around her midsection, she realized it was unnecessary pressure and only made her stomach feel worse. As she walked towards the door, she swiftly untied it, not caring that the open robe showed her silk nightie. She took each descending stair at a snail's pace, knowing that one fast movement would not be good.

Despite her queasy aura, she fell easily into a smile when she saw Dan standing by the stove, humming a random melody. She stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, both to watch him silently for a moment, and also to settle her stomach after her walk from the bedroom.

"Morning," she said quietly, walking over to sit behind their new island. Also in the weeks since the doctor's appointment, they had installed their new kitchen. The entire room was bright and airy, with light bouncing off the new white cabinets and glass tile backsplash. The walls were painted a light grey, standing warmly against the white cupboards. Blair had planned on bringing in cheerful yellow and green hues in the fabric and future artwork. Rufus had already promised to bring them through the gallery to show them some of the finest artwork, and Blair had already framed some of her best photographs.

Dan faced her, turning his back to the stove. "Morning," he said in slight surprise, not expecting her up for a while. "I thought you would sleep in some more." He quickly glanced at whatever he was cooking – she purposely didn't inhale through her nose – and then looked back to her.

"I woke to use the bathroom and felt too sick to try and fall back asleep," she shrugged, running a hand over the gorgeous white marble countertop. It felt cool and smooth against her skin, dampening her nausea for a moment. The plate Dan placed in front of her, however, brought it right back. Nausea seized her system and Blair slipped off the counter stool, running swiftly to the sink and emptying her stomach. Dan met her quickly, standing behind her and holding back her hair. He reached over and ripped off a paper towel, handing it to her once she finished. She cringed, wiping her mouth and tears threatened to leak from her eyes.

Dan looked at her cautiously. "You okay?"

She swallowed and took a deep breath, giving a whisper of a nod.

"Are you going to get sick again? Want to sit down?" he asked, placing a hand on the small of her back.

Blair stayed silent for a moment, as if speaking would set her off again, and eyed her counter seat hesitantly. "I think I'm going to stay here for a few minutes."

Dan gave the smallest of smiles and turned to open the fridge. Thirty seconds later, he faced Blair again, noticing immediately that she was in the exact same position; she hadn't moved an inch. He handed her the cup he had just poured into, smirking at her curious look. "Ginger ale," he said without her asking. "I had a feeling morning sickness would start soon. I picked some up the other day."

Blair gave an appreciative smile and took the cup, taking a small sip and inwardly shoving away the horrifying fact that she was drinking _soda._ The liquid went down easily, and she was thankful to get rid of the awful taste in her mouth. "Thanks," she said after swallowing another sip.

"So I guess eggs are on the 'do not eat' list now," Dan lightly teased.

Even as he said the word, Blair turned towards the sink again. She took a deep breath, before saying, "Please do not even mention eggs. In fact, throw them all away." She leaned her elbows against the edge of the sink and rested her forehead in her hands.

Dan fought a smile and did as he was told.

An hour later, Blair was dressed and ready to leave. Even though she _occasionally_ took the subway into the city, there was no way in hell she was taking it today. She had decided on a simple dress, knowing nothing would be tight around her stomach. The dress wasn't as form fitting as she usually wore, and she was thankful that it was winter. She could hide her barely-there bump under her winter coat.

Dan drove them both into the city, deciding to drop her off before he went to his publisher's office. As Blair sat in their Audi convertible she couldn't help but smile widely. They would soon need another car, as two car seats would never fit in this one. She couldn't wait.

The drive was smooth sailing until they left Brooklyn.

Today was the day that _every _bad driver in Manhattan got together and drove recklessly throughout the city – the very same day that Blair's morning sickness started. Blair gripped the armrest and glared at Dan, hoping her venom-filled eyes translated, "Make it stop, or pull the fuck over." Fortunately, they were right around the corner from the Archibald's. Blair had never been so happy to see a dirty sidewalk, practically racing out of the car.

Dan stood in complete shock as he watched Blair Humphrey (née Waldorf) throw up in a public New York City trashcan. Although a small part of this was amusing, he really did feel awful for her. She had spent years overcoming her impulse to make herself sick, and now when she didn't want to, she had no choice. He hoped the morning sickness would let up soon so she could enjoy the pregnancy she worked so hard – and waited _so_ long – for.

After handing her a water bottle and tissues from the car, he pulled her into a (light) hug. "Just remember," he said, mumbling into her hair, "this will all be worth it." He pressed a kiss on the top of her head and pulled away to look at her. Although a little pale, she looked just as beautiful as she would on any other day. Serena would never know what had just happened.

"I know it will be," she said in the most convincing voice she could muster. She grimaced. "I need to start carrying a toothbrush around," she chuckled. "Or mints."

"I'll pick some up today," he said, kissing her forehead.

"Thanks. You should go, I don't want to make you late," she said, still wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"Okay. Have fun. I'll call you when I'm done."

"Okay," she answered, turning her cheek so he could kiss it. That was another annoying thing about morning sickness– she couldn't kiss him.

"Love you."

"Love you more," she answered. After he drove away, Blair turned towards Serena's building and took a deep breath. For the first time all morning, she felt a little better. Hopefully that would continue, because she really didn't have the energy today to come up with excuses as to why she went running to the bathroom every second.

The day before she had turned eleven weeks, signaling just one more before they told anyone. Serena was absolutely clueless to their infertility struggles, and if Vanessa had any hint to whether they were pregnant (after all, she _did_ know they were doing IVF), she didn't show it. All of their friends had been incredibly busy the past few weeks, much to Blair's relief, and so they really didn't need to cover anything up. Not that Blair minded; like Dan, she loved knowing they were the only two people who knew.

The elevator opened into Serena and Nate's apartment and Blair found her friend right away. She was sitting gracefully on their couch flipping mindlessly through some fashion magazine. "Hello S," Blair said cheerfully, announcing her presence.

Serena looked up from her read, "B! I didn't even hear you come in!" She stood and went to meet her. Blair, however, pretended to not see her friend's attempted hug, taking a seat on the couch opposite of Serena's instead. She also ignored the look of confusion that spread across Serena's face. _Hugs and morning sickness do not mix._

"So, S, what have you been up to lately?" Blair asked, setting her purse on the ground.

Serena set her magazine on the coffee table and sat down again. "Lots of work stuff. I've had a shoot practically every day." She wound her hair in a twist and pulled it to the side. "What about you? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. Anything exciting going on in the Humphrey household?" _Oh, Serena. Always so lovingly clueless._

Blair's mouth twisted into a smile. "Nothing too exciting."

Serena raised her eyebrows. "Don't even try that B! What aren't you telling me?"

Blair sighed. _Why can't I just tell her now?_ "Nothing, S. Except you _must_ come see our new kitchen. It looks amazing."

Serena eyed her suspiciously, but didn't press any further. "Okay. Maybe Nate and I can come over for dinner tomorrow night. Are you guys free?"

Blair bit her lip in thought. After what happened earlier, she had a feeling meal times would be a challenge. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of this morning in front of Serena and Nate. However, she and Dan had practically ignored them the past couple weeks. If they continued, their friends would start to really believe something was up.

"Dinner sounds great. We're completely free," Blair smiled.

Serena matched it. "Perfect! Okay, let's talk about Vanessa's bachelorette party."

**::**

Blair soon realized this morning sickness business would be a rollercoaster ride; by the next morning, she felt so much better. The second she woke up, she didn't experience the same _off _feeling she had the day before. She was able to sleep in some, so her energy was high, and it was a Saturday, which meant Dan would be home all day. After changing into comfortable clothes, Blair padded downstairs to find her husband sitting with some coffee and the newspaper. Blair smiled as she walked over to Dan leaning down to kiss him softly.

"Morning," he mumbled against her lips.

"Good morning," she chirped, before giving him another quick kiss.

Dan raised his eyebrows, amused. "Someone's in a good mood this morning."

Blair beamed. "I don't feel sick this morning!"

Dan gaze traveled down her body. She looked like a completely different person since yesterday. She had color in her face, her smile was blinding – she looked radiant. He couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face when he noticed her outfit. She had thrown on a flowy cotton skirt, and paired it with a tight fitting shirt. It was the first day that he could really tell – through clothing – that she was pregnant. Her bump was small, but it was definitely noticeable.

Blair caught his gaze and raised an eyebrow. "See something you like?" she asked with a flirty smile.

"Always," Dan said, standing to wrap his arms around her waist. He leaned in to kiss her, and when he pulled away, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Actually, today is the first day I can tell you're pregnant."

Blair's eyes widened and she pulled away. "What?" she gasped, running away towards the bathroom. She turned to the side and looked at her profile in the mirror. There was definitely a bump.

"Blair, you do realize you are going to get much bigger. You look beautiful. _ Please_ do not worry about your weight." His tone was slightly begging, and he sounded worried.

Blair, immediately realizing how she had come off, turned to Dan. "Oh!" she said, placing a hand on her stomach. "Dan, I don't care about gaining weight. For the first time, I _want_ to. It's not that."

Dan looked confused. "Then what is it?"

Blair let out a laugh. "Serena and Nate are coming over for dinner, remember? I can't look pregnant. We have to hide this for at least another week."

"Oh," Dan said, sighing in relief. "Don't worry about that. You don't look pregnant."

"I thought you just said–"

"No," Dan chuckled. "To anyone else you don't look pregnant. To me...you do," he said, wrapping his arms around her to pull her close.

Blair raised her brow.

Dan smiled. "By this point, I've memorized every inch of you. Just like I was able to tell when Pierre cut your hair two inches shorter because he wasn't paying attention."

Blair's eyes narrowed. "I'm still bitter about that."

Dan smirked. "I know you are."

She wrinkled her nose and smiled. "I really look pregnant?"

Nodding, he leaned in to kiss her. "Yup. It suits you."

"Good," she smiled.

"You know," Dan started, "We _could_ tell Serena and Nate tonight. I mean, they _are_ our best friends after all. It may be kind of nice to tell them first."

Blair was silent for a moment, in thought. "I suppose. But the thought of telling people too early still worries me," she shrugged.

Dan sighed. "I know. But they're our best friends. If something were to happen, they would be there for us– without a doubt."

Blair nodded, agreeing. "Okay. If they notice my bump, or my non-alcoholic drink and ask, we'll tell them. If not, we'll wait. Deal?"

"Deal," Dan said, kissing her.

"Okay. Let's figure out what we're making tonight."

::

Later that evening – after food shopping, cooking, and cleaning (again) – they were ready for their little house warming dinner. Blair had ended up wearing a dress with a wide belt that hid her secret well. Dan, once again, could tell. But he didn't dare let that be known; she had been a nervous wreck about it all day.

Still not feeling sick, in fact, the complete opposite, Blair didn't bother waiting for Nate and Serena to start eating. She immediately began munching on the vegetable spread Dan had set out on the kitchen island, quickly realizing she had a craving for only cucumbers. She made herself comfortable on one of the stools, forgoing the dip, and instead just eating it raw. Dan watched in amusement as the cucumber pile dwindled to a point where he had to wash and cut some more before their friends had even arrived.

Before Blair could start on the second helping of cucumbers, a knock sounded at the door. Blair accompanied Dan to greet their guests, giving hugs all around. Serena immediately begged to be given a tour of the house, as it had been months since she had last seen it. Both she and Nate were impressed by the progress that had been made, and they would be lying if they said they didn't see the benefits to living in a large Brooklyn brownstone. Serena's favorite room was the kitchen, which is where all four friends ended up at the last stop of the tour. Blair took drink orders herself to avoid curious questions, and while the mozzarella and basil stuffed chicken was in the oven, they sat around the kitchen island, catching up.

The conversation was easy and enjoyable, each couple telling stories from their recent weeks. Everything was going so smoothly, until Dan opened the fridge and Blair caught a whiff of something she didn't want to think about.

Blair took a deep breath and slipped off the stool quickly. "I'm sorry, but if you would excuse me." In a flash, she turned and disappeared into the bathroom. The sound of retching was unmistakable as it carried through the air, and Dan's heart dropped.

He saw Serena's face fall and knew exactly what she was thinking. "I'll be right back," Dan said, getting up to trace Blair's steps. He opened the bathroom door to find his wife sitting on the floor, back against the wall, with her eyes closed.

Before he could even ask if she was okay, Serena's voice came instead. "B, how long has it been since you relapsed?" She and Nate were now standing in the doorway.

This made Blair's eyes snap open in shock. "What?" she asked breathlessly.

Nate continued, "Blair, whatever is going on, there's people who can help you. Dan loves you, we love you. Why are you doing this to yourself? Aren't you happy?"

At this, Blair started to _laugh_.

Serena and Nate looked at each other, even _more_ worried now. Nate was the first to acknowledge Dan, by giving him a '_What the hell?'_ look.

"B, why are you laughing?" Serena finally asked, wanting answers.

Blair was still giggling. "Because this _is_ the happiest I've ever been." She looked at Dan with blinding, but tired, smile. Wordlessly they said, _to hell with it._

She took a deep breath and then looked at her waiting friends. "I'm pregnant."

Serena's jaw dropped, and Nate just stood there blinking.

"We had the same reaction," Dan said laughing, thoroughly enjoying watching them.

"You are?" Serena asked in disbelief.

Blair smiled and nodded, her eyes meeting Dan's again. Serena and Nate stood frozen in place silently, so Blair jumped at the opportunity to speak. "I am feeling much better. So why don't we go into the living room, and fill you in on the details. But first, let me go take off this uncomfortable outfit. This belt is killing me and doing nothing to help my nausea," Blair said, standing up slowly.

They all waved her off, completely understanding. When she returned to the living room five minutes later, she was dressed just as nicely, but looked much more relaxed. Now that Serena knew, Blair looked completely different to her. It wasn't totally obvious that she was pregnant yet, but despite getting sick only moments before, she was absolutely glowing.

Once Blair sat down next to Dan, she started the story.

"Well, it's been quite a long road to get here," Blair said quietly, resting her hand over Dan's.

"Really?" Nate asked.

Dan nodded. "Yeah, we actually tried for over a year, and nothing was happening."

Serena took in a breath. "Over a year?"

"Yeah. And so we had some testing done about four months ago. And...uh..." Her quavering voice trailed off. She didn't know if it was the hormones or something else, but talking about that day at the beach still did her in. She had felt so empty that day – despite feeling more love for Dan than ever before.

Dan noticed how emotional she was getting. _"You okay?"_ he asked with his eyes.

Wiping away a tear, she gave a small smile and nodded, squeezing his hand for extra measure. She turned her attention back to her friends. "The test came back and it said that my fallopian tubes were blocked. And that was the reason why we weren't conceiving."

"Oh my gosh," Serena said quietly. Nate just stayed silent, unsure of what to say.

"It's okay now. It was really hard at first," Dan told them, but looked at Blair all the while. "That's why we disappeared for a bit. Just took time to ourselves."

"I feel terrible that we didn't notice anything. We had no idea," Nate said, turning to Serena.

Blair gave an appreciative smile. "It's really okay. We didn't want to worry people. It was something private. And besides, there's a happy ending."

Serena broke out into a grin and held in a squeal.

Nate, on the other hand, still looked confused. "Wait. I thought you couldn't conceive? What happened?"

"Well we had two options: Blair could get surgery to fix the problem, or we could do IVF," Dan answered.

"Oh my god, B! You had surgery?" Serena gasped.

Blair let out a small laugh. "No." She looked at Dan, suddenly feeling nervous to give this last truth away. _He_ squeezed her hand this time. "We did IVF."

"Are you serious?" Serena asked in shock.

"Completely. We went through the whole process. And it was successful," Blair said, beaming.

"This is crazy," Serena said, shaking her head. "On one hand, I'm absolutely thrilled for you two. But on the other hand, I'm heartbroken that it took you so long; that you had to go through all of that. I mean, are you _okay_?"

Blair sighed. "To be completely honest, no, I wasn't okay. But the sting of infertility has slowly dampened. It's more of the constant worry that makes me sad. It took us so long to get here, and now that it's finally happened, I can't stop worrying that something is going to go wrong. That's why it took us so long to tell you."

"How far along are you?" Nate asked.

"Eleven weeks and two days," Dan said proudly.

Serena's eyes widened. "ELEVEN WE-"

"_Serena_," Nate's warning tone cut her off. "They told us when they felt comfortable telling us."

"Yes," Blair said, smiling at Nate. "We did. But there's actually more to it."

Dan smiled wide. "We're having..."

"...twins," Blair finished with a grin.

This time, both of their jaws dropped. "What?" they both exclaimed.

Blair and Dan could only laugh at their reaction. And when question after question tumbled out of their mouths – about names and gender and ultrasound pictures and _how the hell did you keep THIS from us? –_ she could only smile until her cheeks hurt.

And by the end of the night, as Blair got into bed next to Dan, she couldn't help but feel so..._relieved._ About finally letting out their secret. About how happy their best friends were for them. And about how excited she was to tell the rest of their friends and family.

* * *

**A/N:** Still with me?

Also- I am on tumblr now! My tumblr name is ivorykeys09 (original, I know). I'll give updates on when the next chapter will be up, as well as tiny previews. :) So follow me!

_Review please!_


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Hello! Thank you all again for all of the lovely reviews. I appreciate you taking the time! This chapter was delayed due to me randomly writing a Dair oneshot, and other things life threw at me, so I apologize. Lots of exciting things happen in this chapter, so I'll let you read. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

Telling their families about their exciting baby news was everything they had hoped it to be.

The first people on their list were Vanessa and James. They figured it was only fair to tell their _other _closer friends right after Serena and Nate, so the day Blair turned fourteen weeks along, they planned a dinner. Both Vanessa and James were, of course, overjoyed for them, and completely excited to finally have some friends for Leo. Vanessa also admitted that since she hadn't heard anything from Blair since she helped her with the hormone shot, she assumed the cycle had failed. She was very relieved it had been a success.

Next were their parents. Very conveniently, Eleanor and Cyrus were home from France for various reasons, so Blair and Dan had both sets of parents over for dinner. After giving a tour of the house (which proved to Eleanor that a home in Brooklyn _could_ have taste), they sat down in the living room.

Dan cleared his throat. "So, uh, we have some exciting news." He turned to Blair, who wrapped her arms around him, suddenly feeling nervous by the awaiting stares.

"I'm pregnant!" she exclaimed finally. When the screams started, all she could do was laugh.

They gave everyone the smaller facts first. Due September 10th, right after their second anniversary. She was fourteen weeks and one day. Morning sickness on and off. So tired some days she can barely see straight. So _happy_ she (they) could barely see straight.

Hugs were given all around. Tears were shed. Everyone was so joyous, it was like a scene out of a movie. Once everyone calmed down some, Blair eyed Dan, knowing they saved the best for last.

As nonchalantly as she could, Blair turned to the parents again. "Oh, and did we mention we're having twins?" she said with a coy smile, which quickly morphed into a beaming grin when she heard them all scream again. Cyrus announced there would be a nursery built in their home, Eleanor announced she would start a baby line, Rufus patted Dan on the back, so utterly proud of his son he was speechless, and Lily was just thrilled at least _someone_ was giving her a grandchild.

And when Blair felt Dan's hand take hers, she really didn't think it was possible for anyone to be happier.

**::**

The next week, Blair spent most of her time with her mother. She and Cyrus were only in for a short amount of time, so Blair took advantage of it. On the final day of her trip, Blair took her out for a goodbye lunch.

"I know I'm a lot bigger than you're used to," Blair said sitting down, only half-kidding.

"Oh _hush_, darling. You look magnificent," Eleanor returned with a smile, meaning every word. "I still can't believe it! I am just so excited for you and Daniel."

Blair beamed. "Thanks, we're very excited for their arrival."

"And twins! I've been meaning to ask...do multiples run in Dan's family?"

Blair's breath hitched. She knew she couldn't avoid telling her mother forever, but she was still caught off guard. "Actually, mom, there's something I haven't told you."

Eleanor's face paled. "What, darling? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Blair said quickly. "Well, not anymore. Dan and I had trouble conceiving, and so our only option was IVF."

Eleanor looked confused. "Trouble conceiving? Why?"

Quite honestly, Blair was sick of telling the reason. Although there was a happy ending, the fact that the problem was _her_ still made her feel a bit...ashamed_._ Not to mention, it always put her in a sad mood.

"Well, we did some testing and it turns out I have very blocked fallopian tubes. It was something completely random and unavoidable that unfortunately happened to _us._ But it's okay now. It's been a long road, but we're okay."

Eleanor was near tears by the time Blair finished. "Blair, dear. Why didn't you tell me?"

Blair shrugged and smiled. "I didn't want to worry you. It was just something Dan and I had to go through on our own."

Eleanor quickly wiped away a tear. "I'm so sorry, Blair. I had no idea." She reached across the table and took her daughter's hand.

"It's okay! And stop crying, or you'll make me cry. It's no secret my hormones are in overdrive."

"Alright, alright," she said, waving her hand. "But get used to the tears, because I'm sure I'll cry at your shower, when they're born, their first Christmas..."

As her mother trailed off, Blair felt so grateful that her previously quarrels with her mother were long gone. Even though she had felt the pressure growing up to be thin, other than that, her mother was really everything she wanted. She never felt unloved or unwanted, and as a soon-to-be parent, she could only hope her kids felt the same way.

**::**

Today was like Paris Fashion Week mixed with New York Fashion Week, with a dash of their wedding day. Today they were finding out if they were having two girls, two boys, or one of each. Since they announced the happy news to their family, they had been to two doctor's appointments. They had had an ultrasound each time, but the babies had been difficult and crossed their legs. Blair was now seventeen weeks along, proudly showing, and _praying_ they could find out today. She had even began to feel movement. She screamed the first time, thinking something was wrong, but after some reassurance from Dan, she realized it was completely normal. And absolutely _amazing_.

"So you _still _want to find out what you're having?" the doctor asked once Blair was on the table.

"Yes!" Blair said excitedly. "Although, we don't want you to tell us now. Can you write it down so we can open it later?"

"Sure," the doctor said. "Let's just look at their growth and make sure everything's okay. I'll tell you when to look away, just in case."

"I highly doubt I'll be able to read the ultrasound screen," Dan joked.

"You'd be surprised," she replied with a knowing smile.

Dan swallowed. "Oh, well, I'll just look away then."

"Let's hope they're cooperative today," the doctor said, squeezing the gel onto Blair's stomach.

Dan laughed. "Well, if they're anything like their mom, they'll cross their legs until they're born," he teased, pressing a kiss to Blair's forehead.

"Hey!" Blair scolded him harmlessly. "As long as they have my fashion sense, I don't care if they are as stubborn as I am. But I really hope we find out today. I want to start shopping!"

Dan shook his head and laughed, inwardly loving that she was more excited than nervous at the moment.

The doctor placed the wand on Blair's stomach and for the next hour, scanned each baby carefully from head to toe. She announced they were both perfectly healthy and, much to Blair and Dan's excitement, was able to tell both genders. After handing them the sealed envelope, Blair and Dan walked hand-in-hand to their car. Once stopping for some bread, they parked and strolled their way to an empty bench in Central Park, right next to the duck pond.

While Blair started throwing pieces of bread to the ducks, Dan walked to a nearby stand to get lemonade and muffin to share.

After taking a sip, Blair turned to Dan. "This reminds me of our second date," she said smiling, taking a bite of the muffin.

"You're right," Dan replied, remembering the day they walked around the flea market in Paris. After they had gotten what they needed for the article, they had rested on a bench and shared lemonade and a croissant. They had been just getting to know each other then, but Blair had already fallen. She blushed when she remembered that when she kissed him, he had tasted like lemon and chocolate.

"We've come a long way," she said, placing a light hand over her stomach. "Did you think we would be married and having twins then?"

Dan though for a moment. "Yeah," he said finally.

She raised a brow.

"Okay, maybe not the twins part," he laughed, kissing her temple. "Speaking of which..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the folded envelope. "Ready to find out what we're having?"

Blair bit her lip, but failed at suppressing a smile. "Yes."

"Here-" Dan handed her the envelope. "You open it."

She pushed it away. "No- you. I get to carry them for nine months. It's only fair that you get to find out first."

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath. He stared at the envelope for a moment before slowly ripping it open, his heart beating out of control. After unfolding the paper, he carefully read it.

And Dan swore his heart stopped for a moment.

Two little girls.

Two little _girls._

Two little girls that – he was sure – would be the spitting image of Blair. With her enthralling eyes, her chestnut curls, her rosy dimples, her devious smirk, her way of making him give into _whatever the hell_ she wanted, her courageous exterior, her heart of gold. These little girls would be the death of him, and he couldn't wait.

"Dan?" she asked, staring at her speechless husband, practically on the edge of her seat.

Her voice snapped him out of his trance. He cleared his throat. "We're having girls."

And Blair couldn't help but gasp. Two little _girls_! Her life would forever consist of dresses and bows and curtsies. Ballet or basketball, she was going to love these little ladies with all her heart.

"Oh I'm so excited!" she exclaimed, tears flooding her eyes. "I really didn't care what they were, but now that I know they are girls, I can't imagine it any other way."

"I know!" Dan said, still staring at the words, _Twin A: Girl; Twin B: Girl._ He tore his eyes away from the paper to look at Blair. "I love you so much," he said wrapping his arms around her.

"I love you too," she echoed, wiping her eyes. "And these little girls."

"So," Dan began, taking her hand, "I'm guessing you want to go shopping now, right?"

Blair sighed happily. "I thought you'd never ask."

And so they made their way to Estella – the hippest baby store in all of Manhattan – where they each picked out two (four) things. They set a fifteen-minute limit, and went off to search for their favorite item.

When time was up, Blair anxiously waited in the middle of store for Dan. He appeared a moment later with his hands behind his back, looking for exhilarated than before.

"What did you find?" Blair asked curiously, now hiding what she had found as well.

"Oh nothing," he sighed. "Just a little something for the Hamptons." He brought his hands to the front and revealed two tiny bathing suits.

Blair gasped, immediately dropping her items on the clothing shelf beside her. She didn't care if Dan saw what she had picked; she _had_ to get her hands on these suits. "_Ohmygoodness_ these are adorable."

Dan smiled proudly. "I know." One was a yellow one-piece with white polka dots, and the other was white with yellow polka dots. Each looked like a dress and each were equally adorable. The cutest feature? The small ruffles outlining the skirt.

Blair held one up the air. "And they're so _small!_ Can you believe we're going to be responsible for two little people this tiny?"

Dan shook his head in awe. "No, I can't. And these aren't even newborn. Depending on when they're born, they'll be nine or ten months by next June."

Blair stared at them in silence for another moment. "Nice selection, Humphrey."

"Thanks. But Blair- you _have_ to see the other suits. They had the skimpiest bikinis I have ever seen. For a _baby_. A baby! Our girls will never been seen in those. _Ever_."

Blair smirked. "Look at you, already an overprotective father." She brought a hand up to his cheek. "But I agree. If they even _try_ wearing something like what you're describing, they won't be let out of the house."

Dan laughed. "What did you pick out?"

Blair smiled. "Oh, just something small. I figured the girls needed their first books. So I got 'Goodnight Moon' and 'If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.'"

"Oh wow! I haven't seen these books in years," he said, opening one of them up.

Blair smiled at his reaction. "Our girls are going to know how to read by the age of two."

"Damn right they are," Dan said, eyes still glued to the book. He paused and looked up to her.

"What?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. You just said, 'our girls.' Knowing they're girls makes them seem so much more _real_."

Blair smiled. "Well they are definitely real, and moving around like crazy," she said, bringing Dan's hand up to her stomach. She had done this many times already, but she still loved the expression on his face when he felt one of them moving beneath his hands.

"Amazing," he breathed out, before leaning down to kiss her. "Their mom isn't half-bad either," he winked.

Blair gave a dimpled grin. "Alright, before you make me melt with cheesiness, let's pay and get out of here." And so they happily made their first baby purchase.

**::**

For the next few weeks, life was smooth and worry-free. Blair took on a few photography clients, most of whom were, ironically, newborns and their parents. The entire time while photographing them, Blair marveled at their tiny size and couldn't believe she and Dan were going to have _two_ of them. And two _girls_. She loved saying it, and wanted to shout it from their rooftop. But as hard as it was, she was determined to keep it a secret. And she knew Serena would not be happy. She was right.

"B! I _cannot _believe you and Dan aren't finding out what you're having. When I have kids, I am finding out the second my kids spread their legs," Serena said.

"S!" Blair laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Don't give me that look B. I know for _sure _you could have found out already. Didn't you just have your twenty week scan?" Serena asked, remembering how all of last week, Blair went on and on about how excited she was for their ultrasound.

Blair nodded. "For your information, we _did_ find out what we are having."

"_What?_" Serena shrieked. "Why didn't you tell me? What are you having?"

"Relax, Serena," Blair chuckled. "I didn't tell you because there's nothing _to_ tell. _We_ found out, but you, my friend, have to wait." She knew her sly smile would send Serena over the edge.

Serena's jaw dropped. "Oh no, no, no. That is _not_ happening. How the hell am I going to, oh I don't know, throw a shower for you, spoil those kids rotten before they're even here–"

Blair held up a hand to stop her. "Stop right there. I will of _course_ let you spoil them rotten whether you know their gender or not. However, Dan and I want to keep it _our_ secret. You'll find out when they're born."

"What about the shower?"

Blair thought for a moment. "I actually have an idea for it– not that I _need_ one. But since Dan and I will be handling the nursery ourselves, we won't need cribs or changing tables or anything. We'll handle the strollers and carseats too. Therefore, instead of those sorts of gifts, I want everyone to bring books. Doesn't matter if they are for two-year-olds or five-year-olds. I just want my–" she paused, making sure she didn't say 'girls,' "_kids_ to have lots of books."

Serena sighed. "If that didn't sound like such a sweet idea, I'd be more mad at you," she said with a small frown. "And as for clothes, I will just have to buy things for each gender."

Blair raised a brow. "And what? Return the wrong ones once you know what gender my children are?"

"Yeah," her friend replied. A moment later, Serena brightened up some. "_Or..._I could just save the clothes for when Nate and I have kids! It's a win-win situation."

Blair shook her head. "I'm sure Nate will be thrilled with that idea," she said, not hiding her sarcasm in the slightest.

"Yes. I think so too," Serena smiled, completely oblivious to Blair's tone. "Okay, so I will plan a _gender neutral_ shower filled with books. Any other requests?"

"Just that it is low-key. Seriously, S– nothing fancy. Maybe just a small lunch and tea," Blair pressed. She quickly added, "And cupcakes! I don't know what it is, but they're all I can think about these days."

Serena laughed. "Okay. That sounds doable," she said, typing it all down on her phone. "Alright, well I have to head out. I will let you know the dates I am thinking, and then you can pick one."

"Okay! That sounds great," Blair said, hugging her friend goodbye. Once she was gone, Blair had nothing to do. She had no clients for the afternoon, no meetings planned, no housework to do. _The perfect time to visit Dan,_ she thought, slowly making her way out of the restaurant.

A short car ride later, she stepped into the elevator at his publisher's office. She smiled, remembering the last time they were here– it was the day Dan found out his book would be published. It was also the day she met Lindsey, Blair remembered as she stepped out of the sliding doors. Lindsey slipped from her mind once she saw Daphne, the cheery office receptionist.

"Mrs. Humphrey! So good to see you!" she said with a jolly grin.

Blair was taken aback, impressed that she remembered her. "It's nice to see you too, Daphne."

"Congratulations! I am so excited for you and Dan," she said, gesturing to Blair's stomach. There was no hiding now that she was pregnant, although Blair still found herself a little shocked when someone mentioned it.

Blair smiled warmly. "Thank you. We are both thrilled as well. Speaking of, have you seen my husband?"

"Oh yes! He should be out of a meeting in the next few minutes. I'll just take you to his office so you can sit and wait there," Daphne said, leading the way. "Can I offer you some tea? Or water? Oh! Someone brought in the most delicious cupcakes today for someone's birthday. Would you like one?"

Blair held in a gasp. "Oh, that sounds amazing. I would love one," she said calmly, despite her overwhelming desire to scream _give me one now_.

A few minutes later, Blair was sitting happily on Dan's office couch when he walked in the door.

"Blair? What a nice surprise," Dan said, leaning down to kiss her.

Blair gave a proud smile. "I thought so too. How's your day been?"

"Good. Busy. I'm glad you're here. I needed a break," he said, sitting on the edge of his desk.

"Oh really?" she said, standing up to walk over to him. When she wrapped her arms around him, she noticed another cupcake sitting on his desk. Dan noticed her gaze.

"I was going to bring that home tonight. But if you want it _now_..." He reached behind and picked it up. "I supposed we can do that too."

"I shouldn't. I already had one," Blair said unconvincingly, still eyeing the cupcake.

"Oh. Well I'm sure you'll change your mind once I do this–" Dan brushed the cupcake against the tip of her nose, covering it in frosting. Before Blair could even complain, Dan's lips were on her, kissing it off.

"Or this..." He pushed the cupcake against her mouth, icing her mouth. Blair moaned once his lips were on hers, kissing and licking it off. When he cleaned it all up, she tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him into a kiss. The combination of Dan and the cupcake were far too overwhelming, and she found herself getting lost in his lips.

"Am I interrupting something?" came a voice Blair never wanted to hear again. They quickly pulled away from each other, wiping their mouths, and turned to the intruder.

_Lindsey._

"Uh, no," Dan said, and Blair smiled at the irritation in his voice. "My wife just stopped by to say hello."

"Oh _riiight!_" Lindsey said, and Blair cringed at the accent again. "It's good to see you again!"

"You too," Blair replied back with a small wave.

"I'll come back. I was just coming by to go over the final book tour schedule," she said, waving a piece of paper in her hands.

_Wait, what?_ "Book tour? What book tour?" Blair asked, turning to Dan.

"Well for Dan's book, of course!" Lindsey answered in a tone that said _why _wouldn't _you know that?_

"Lindsey, could you please give us a few minutes?" Dan asked, narrowing his eyes, and obviously aggravated at his publisher.

"Sure thing," she said, shutting the door, completely unaware she was the reason for the mood shift in the room.

"Dan?" she backed up and crossed her arms, waiting for him to explain. The movement only emphasized her stomach further, and Dan fought a smile.

He sighed. "I _have _to do it, Blair. It's promotion for the book."

"And that's great, Dan. And I _completely _understand its importance– but you're missing the point. Why is this the first I've heard of it? I feel like the wife who doesn't know anything. What are the details? When will you be going? _Where _will you be going?"

"The first trip is in two weeks," he said hesitantly.

If this affected her, she didn't show it. "For how long?"

"We have five four-day legs."

"_What?"_ she practically shrieked. "Dan, I'll be six months pregnant. With _twins._ I can't have you that far away. I don't _want_ you that far away. What if something goes wrong? "

Dan sighed and pulled her into him again. "Blair, you can't worry about that all the time. You're healthy; you're doing _everything_ right. If we didn't have to go, we wouldn't."

"We?" Blair asked, pulling away slightly.

"Yeah, me and Lindsey."

Blair closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Dan's. "I _really_ don't want to be mad at you. Especially here. But you're making it very difficult."

Dan pulled away and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I know, and I'm so sorry Blair. I will do whatever I can to make the trips as short as possible, okay? In fact, I'll head to Lindsey's office now and do that. You just go home and try not to worry about it."

Blair sighed and picked up her purse. "Fine. But you better figure out a way to make a back to New York in one hour flat. No matter _where _you are in the country."

"Blair, that's imposs-"

Her glare cut him off.

"I'll do my best," he said, kissing her goodbye. "I'll see you at home."

"Love you."

"Love you too." She was barely out the door before he picked up the phone. "Chuck? It's Dan...Humphrey. I know I'm not on the list of people you want to talk to, but I have a favor to ask. It's about your jet..."

* * *

**A/N:** Yup. I'm bringing Chuck into the story..._slightly._ How was this chapter? Do you approve of two girls? :) Remember I'm on tumblr, and I love chatting with readers. So follow me! My tumblr name is ivorykeys09.

**Reviews are appreciated!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Hey there. Sorry it took so long to get this up. I am behind on review replies, which I apologize for. However, please be aware that I am grateful for each one. I know it's annoying to review sometimes, so I appreciate you taking the time.

I cannot write anything further before I properly thank and bow down to sarabrowncolorado. She helped me immensely. She is the sole reason I have this chapter finished before July. No joke. You are very talented my friend. :) Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

"_Chuck? It's Dan...Humphrey. I know I'm not on the list of_ _people you want to talk to, but I have a favor to ask. It's about your jet..."_

"Want to know where I got it?" the voice smarmed, but there were no hard feelings behind it.

"Maybe in a few years," Dan joked back.

"Then what can I help you with Humphrey?"

"Actually, it's about Blair–"

Chuck cut in. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine" Dan answered just as quickly. Then after a beat, he added, "She's...pregnant, actually."

It was silent for a moment. "Congratulations," Chuck said finally, and Dan was relieved to hear it sounded genuine.

"Thanks. We're really excited," Dan replied back, hoping Chuck couldn't detect the smile that spread across his face every time he thought of the news.

"So what does this have to do with my jet?" Chuck asked.

Dan breathed out a laugh. "Right. Well, I'm about to head out on this book tour, and I need to be able to get home quickly if anything were to happen."

"Are you anticipating a problem?"

"No. But I should probably mention that she's having twins, therefore considered high-risk. Anything could arise at any point," Dan said, feeling nervous at the thought.

Chuck let out a laugh. "Twins? Leave it to Blair to go one step above everyone."

Dan couldn't help but join in. "I know," he laughed.

Chuck's tone got serious. "I have a few extra jets gathering dust at LaGuardia. Go ahead and use one for the whole tour. It'll cut hours of traveling time, and you would be back to Blair before she could call 911."

Dan breathed out a sigh of relief. "Really? Thank you so much."

"It's not a problem. The jet and its crew are yours for the next six weeks. Go wherever you'd like."

"I really appreciate this, Chuck. I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important," Dan said honestly.

"I know," he replied. A muffling of sounds was heard in the background. "I'm sorry, but I have to go to a meeting. I'll have my secretary call with the arrangements."

"Okay. Well...thanks again," Dan said, unsure of what else to say.

"You're welcome."

Hanging up the phone, Dan felt a hundred pounds lift off his chest. Not only would he be able to get back to Blair quickly, but now that the jet was his, he could shorten each trip by a day. He packed up his briefcase and headed to Lindsay's office to tell her the good news.

**::**

The next few weeks flew by, and before they knew it, Blair was twenty-four weeks. Hitting this mark of the pregnancy allowed them both to breath a huge sigh of relief, knowing it was their viability day. Even though they were itching to meet their girls, they did _not _want to see them anytime soon. So far there had been little complications and they wanted to keep it that way.

Thankfully, Dan's first two legs of the book tour came and went uneventfully. He had been able to cut the trips down from five to four– all thanks to the Bass jet. Blair had been thrilled at the news, but was kept in the dark about the reason why. Serena and Nate had been on standby for both weekends, if anything was to happen, and even spent a few nights with her. Blair busied her days with photography clients and helping Vanessa put the final touches on her wedding.

James and Vanessa married the first weekend of June. They kept things simple, inviting only close friends and family, and having the ceremony at city hall. Blair and Serena worked their magic and transformed Rufus's art gallery into a mini reception hall. At first, they had both tried to persuade Vanessa into having it at a restaurant or hotel, but Vanessa would not be swayed. In the end, both friends remembered _their_ own wedding day and realized it was _her_ wedding day and caved.

It ended up being a memorable night. Leo looked adorable in his mini suit and tie, and every guest danced the night away. Blair was responsible as ever, staying off her feet most of the evening and instead observing the party around her. But when Dan – looking dapper as ever – bowed slightly in front of her and offered his hand for a dance, she couldn't possibly resist.

And as she swayed to the music, resting her head on his chest and melting into him as much as possible, she watched Vanessa. James was twirling her around and dipping her low, even though it was a slow song. She was positively glowing with newlywed love and Blair remembered the feeling with a smile. The _I-couldn't-be-happier-and-more-in-love-than-I-am-now _feeling. She felt Dan press his lips to her head and she reveled in the thought of how wrong she was.

**::**

The week after Vanessa's wedding, Blair and Dan had another ultrasound. Each time their eyes were practically glued to the screen, neither looking away for a second. The doctor announced yet again that their girls were growing right on target and everything looked great. Blair continued to be a rock-star patient, carrying the girls as healthy as ever. Besides the expected exhaustion, she looked and felt great, finally dampening her anxiety of something going wrong by a little. Even though she was still waiting for the other ball to drop, she couldn't fight the nesting urge that overtook her.

Thrilled to finally put one of the extra bedrooms to good use, Blair started designing the nursery. She decided the project would be a nice distraction from Dan's next two trips, and also realized that if she didn't order the furniture and fabric soon, the twins would arrive before they did.

Another thing on the agenda? Names. So when they arrived back home from the ultrasound, Blair took off her shoes and lowered herself on the couch, gathering the courage to approach the subject out loud.

Taking the glass of water Dan handed to her, she announced, "I'm ready to talk names."

And Dan's heart leapt. Up until this moment, Blair had refused to even discuss names, let alone buy a book of them. He had been waiting for this conversation for weeks.

"Really?" he asked, blinking in disbelief.

Taking a sip, Blair nodded. "Yes. I think I'm ready to start. I have no idea how, but..."

"Don't worry," Dan finished. "I have come up with a system that will help us pick the _perfect_ names." Quickly he stood up and left the living room, leaving a very confused Blair. She heard some rustling and shutting of kitchen cabinets before he appeared in the room again, a stack of colored notecards in hand. Sitting on the couch opposite of her, he placed the cards on the coffee table separating them.

Blair picked one up. "Notecards?" she asked, still perplexed.

"Yup. I want you to write down your favorite _first_ names on the blue cards, and your favorite _middle_ names on the yellow cards. I'll do the same. Then once we're done, we can pick one from each category and find a pair of names we love best." He split the stack of cards into their respective colors. "I was thinking we could spread them all out on the nursery floor, and over the next few weeks, swap some names and pick a few combos. And we can always add and veto names as we think of them."

Blair couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. "My, my Daniel," she said with an impressed grin. "I have to say, this is a very well thought-out idea."

Dan smiled proudly. "Thanks. Picking four names is a daunting task."

"Tell me about it," Blair sighed, wondering how on earth they would choose. "There are so many names out there."

"Yeah. But we still have plenty of time. Using the cards at least gets us _thinking_ about it."

"I suppose," she said, writing down the names she'd loved since childhood. _At least it's a start_.

**::**

"Daniel!" Blair yelled a few days later, shutting the front door behind her.

Dan smirked from his spot in the kitchen. "Yes dear?" he replied back, all too sweetly. He watched as she appeared in the room, scowl upon her face.

"_Don't_ call me dear," she said icily, narrowing her eyes.

From her response, Dan could tell she was not in a lively mood.

"You're about to love me in about ten seconds," she said, dropping her purse where she stood.

Dan smiled and walked over to her. Feeling playful, he teased, "Aww, Blair, but I _already_ love you!" He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as close as her stomach would allow.

Blair's face never softened. "Well, you'll love me even more." She pecked him on the lips before stepping out of his embrace, ignoring his frown at her less than usual affection. "We're going to talk _names _again."

"Good!" Dan said. "Should we go up to the notecards?"

"Yes," she answered tautly. "We should. Now would _you_ be a _dear_ and hand me my notebook? It's in my purse." She pointed to the floor, ignoring his amused grin, and made her way up the stairs. Her stomach had now made it near impossible to pick up things off the ground, let alone put on her shoes. Dan somehow did not see this as the burden Blair did, simply loving being able to help her more. Blair, however, found it quite annoying.

A few moments later, Dan joined her in the nursery, handing over her purse.

"I wrote down a list today," Blair announced, opening up her notepad and carefully sitting on the ground. "So I have to transfer them onto the notecards."

"Oh! I actually wrote down a few today too," Dan said, picking the nameless blue cards off the floor.

Blair let out a laugh. "Oh _no no no,_ Daniel. We won't be needing the blue cards. This, in my hands, is a list of names we are _not_ using."

_And that explains her mood, _Dan thought, sighing audibly. "I should have seen this coming."

"Hush." Blair cleared her throat and focused on the list. "Under _no_ circumstances are we naming our children Michael, Hannah, Debra, John, Christine, or Sophia." She paused for a moment in thought. "Or...Lindsay," she added spitefully.

Dan was beyond confused. "First of all...Michael and John? We're having girls. Secondly, Blair, those are completely random names. And have no significance to us whatsoever. Why would we even consider–"

_Oh._

He tried biting his tongue to keep from saying anything, but he was in the mood to rile her up. Blair, on the other hand, had busied herself with picking up _green_ notecards– the new color for rejected names. He saw her continually look at him from the corners of her eyes; she _knew_ he had figured her out.

"Blair?"

"Yes, Dan?" she feigned innocence, eyes glued to the name she was recopying.

"What did _Sophia_ do to you today?" he asked, leaning against the doorway.

She raised her chin slightly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Isn't Sophia the woman at the fabric store? What did she do?"

"She ordered the wrong fabric!" she huffed. "And now the fabric for the girls' nursery will be here _next_ week, instead of today."

"And Hannah?"

Blair rolled her eyes. "The cashier at Dean & DeLuca. She had the nerve to ask me if I was having twins."

Dan laughed. "You _are_ having twins."

She gave a tight smile. "I know. I was just unaware that it was _obvious_ I was having twins."

"It's not, so forget about her," he shrugged. She still looked unconvinced. Determined to prove the fact, he walked over and took her hands, pulling her up from the ground. "Blair." She refused to meet his gaze.

"Blair," he said again, and she finally met his eyes. "Please believe me when I say you look fucking amazing," he told her completely truthfully. He snaked his arms around her waist and leaned in close to her ear. "And _sexy_ as hell."

It was all he had to say for Blair to crash her lips against his, prompting an uncontrollable moan from both sides. When they finally broke away from each other, Blair's eyes were clouded with lust, and she couldn't help but take his hand and lead him into their bedroom. She had never wanted him more than that second, and she wasn't going to waste any time. They had by no means stopped being..._affectionate_ towards each other since she became pregnant. But they had been careful. It had been a while since they clawed at each other's clothes like insatiable teenagers. Within minutes they were crying each other's names and exhausted for a whole new reason.

**::**

A few nights later, Dan woke up feeling burning hot. He groggily realized it was all thanks to Blair, who was snuggled so tightly next to him he could barely breathe. She leaned up and peppered kisses across his face. "Wake up," she whispered softly, tracing his lips with her finger.

"I'm up," he whispered back. He reached up and kissed her hand.

"I don't want you to go."

And Dan's heart broke a little. He sighed, "I know."

"No," she said shaking her head, and burying it in the crook of his neck. "I _really_ don't want you to go."

"Does it help that I don't want to go either?" he tried.

"No."

"Does it help that _I'm_ taking you somewhere when I get back?" He felt her breath hitch against his skin.

"Maybe," she confessed. "Keep talking."

He sat up, expecting to blink at the sun streaming through the windows. Instead, he was greeted by darkness. He glanced at the clock and mildly noted that it was three in the morning. "What would you say to a little vacation?" he posed, ignoring the time.

This perked her up. "What? Where? When?"

He reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. "It's a surprise," he laughed, excited to see _her_ excited.

Her smile faded. "Wait, I can't fly."

Fully prepared for the question, he answered confidently. "I called your doctor and asked for permission. He said as long as there is a hospital nearby, we're fine. In fact, I made sure we'll be within thirty miles of a Level III NICU just in case," he said, laying a hand on her stomach. He added quietly, "_And_ we are taking a certain someone's jet, so the flight will take half the time."

Blair stared at him in shock. "Chuck?"

Dan nodded. "Yup."

"You called him?"

"Yeah. I actually called him a few weeks ago. I wanted to ask that if anything were to happen while I'm on the book tour, I could use a jet and get home quickly. He has since grown his corporate fleet by two planes, so he gave me one for the whole tour." His voice sounded just as surprised as it had when Chuck made the original offer.

"_You_ called him?"

"I wasn't going to take any chances Blair. And even though you have both moved on, he still cares about you. He didn't even hesitate to say yes."

Her eyes widened. "Wait, is that why–"

"My tour is shorter?" he finished. "Yeah. He gave me the jet for a six weeks."

"That was nice of him," she said softly. She pressed her lips to his cheek. Still against his skin, she murmured, "But you're still going though."

"Yes, but once I get back, you'll be leaving with me."

"So you're not telling me where we're going?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Just pack for someplace warm." He kissed her again before turning off the light and lying back down in the sheets, pulling her close. "Also, why are you awake?"

"Hmm," she hummed, pressing a kiss to his chest. "I knew you would be gone when I woke up. I wanted to say goodbye again. Sorry for waking you."

"It's okay," he said quietly, knowing they would both succumb to sleep soon. "I'll be home before you know it."

**::**

And he was.

Blair was beyond excited for their vacation (she refused to call it a _babymoon_) and kept her mind off of Dan's absence by packing and shopping. Wasting not one moment of his free schedule, Dan had Blair meet him at the hanger, practically shooing Lindsey off the plane and embracing his wife with open arms. "I missed you," he said once he stopped kissing her.

"I missed you more," Blair replied with her signature smile. Accepting the hand he offered, she followed him into the plane. "Look what I brought!" she said in a sing-song voice. After rustling through her bag, she held up the stack of extra blank notecards. "Just in case we think of more names!"

"Good thinking," he said smiling, taking the cards from her.

"That's not all!" That devilish grin that made him weak in the knees appeared on her face.

His smile faded when he saw the _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ DVD in her hand. "Again?" he complained harmlessly.

"You love me," she stated, handing him the movie to set it up.

An hour later, they were cuddled up together. Just as the midway point of the movie neared, Dan got up. "Where are you going?" she whined. Pouting softly, she continued, "I was so comfortable. You know how hard it is these days."

Dan reached into her bag and pulled out the _green_ notecards. Pen in hand, he wrote on two of them before facing her again.

"Two more names are being added to the 'off-limits' list."

"This should be interesting," she said with a wry smile.

"Audrey and Tiffany."

Blair frowned. "But Audrey is such a beautiful name!"

"No way," he said adamantly. She would _not_ win that fight.

She sighed. "_Fine_."

He smiled in defeat. "Good. And while we have the green notecards out, I would like to add a few more."

Blair's mouth twisted into a wry smile. "Do I even _want_ to know?"

Dan cleared his throat. "Anything similar to people we know, _especially_ people who have caused drama in our lives. For example: Charles or Charlotte, Georgia, Carter, and _Katerina_ for that matter."

Amused, Blair laughed. "Anything else?"

"None that I can think of now."

"Good," she said, reaching her hand out for him. "Now come back here. You messed up my comfy position." He obliged immediately, and allowed her to curl up as close as she could until they landed in Palm Beach.

"I can already smell the ocean," Blair said the minute the doors opened, closing her eyes at the aroma that surrounded her.

"We're not even off the tarmac," Dan chuckled, directing her towards their waiting car.

"I _know._ I am just so excited to lay out in the sun and enjoy the last vacation we will probably have for a while."

And a relaxing vacation they had. The entire five days, they both basked by the beach, enjoying each other's company to no end. They even did some shopping for their little ladies, buying each a beach bonnet and another bathing suit. And when they returned home to Brooklyn, more relaxed and tanned than before, they weren't even sad to end their vacation. Better things were arriving soon.

* * *

**A/N:** I'd love to know your thoughts! Reviews are lovely.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Thanks for the lovely reviews. As always, I appreciate you taking the the time. The delay of this chapter was all thanks to a two-shot that I _had_ to write before anything else. (Check it out!). And also due to my crazy work-week. Apologies.

A million thanks to Sara (browncolorado) for constantly helping/chatting/encouraging. I'm so glad I found the talented writer/reader/friend that you are.

Enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

Once they returned from Palm Beach, Blair and Dan were ready to go into full-on baby mode. As she was opening the five days worth of mail, Blair squealed with delight when she came across a yellow envelope with Serena's handwriting. Ripping it open, she nearly burst into tears when she read the invitation for _her_ shower.

Her _baby_ shower.

It would take place at her mother's penthouse, where she and her closest girlfriends and female family members would be served tea and little bites. It would be intimate and stress-free and simple and the perfect way to get ready for her little girls. Not that anyone _knew_ they were girls yet– which Serena nagged her about nearly everyday. But although Serena was relentless in asking about their gender, Blair was thrilled she had at least listened to her _one_ shower request. At bottom of the invitation read:

If you wish to spoil these little bundles of joy,

Do it with Bernstein, Dr. Suess or even Tolstoy.

.

To help fill their library, as every mini-Humphrey should,

Please bring your favorite book from childhood.

Blair could barely wait for the day, and was thankful that it arrived quickly.

"Surprise!" every guest yelled once she entered the penthouse, the volume startling her a little.

Blair rolled her eyes, but smiled. "I was well aware this was occurring," she said to her mother, who was quickly approaching.

"I know, I know," Eleanor brushed off, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "But I couldn't help myself. This is such a happy day."

"Thanks for throwing this with Serena," Blair said quietly, still embracing her mother. "It means the world."

They both pulled away slightly teary. "This is one of the happiest days of my life. I can't wait to meet them," Eleanor said, placing a light hand on Blair's swollen stomach.

"I can't wait to meet them either," Blair echoed, before surveying the room. Her heart leapt when she saw all the women in the room. Some had flown in from their various homes throughout the country; while there were some city friends she barely had time to see anymore. She also ignored the urge to drop her jaw when her eyes caught sight on the pile of gifts off to the side. Although she had made _some_ purchases, they weren't any of the fun items. And although cribs, strollers, and diapers were important necessities, they weren't the most exciting things to open.

Blair started her circle around the room, making sure she stopped to talk with every guest. She never had a wedding shower or reception with all of her friends and family, so to see everyone come and support her and Dan meant more than she could express.

It was when everyone sat down to eat that the real questions started.

"Are you having a boys or girls?

"Oh! Or one of each?"

"Have you thought of any names?"

"You should _really_ consider naming one Rose. Cyrus would adore it!"

Blair held up her hand to stop them. She smiled sweetly, despite feeling a tad overwhelmed. "Dan and I know what we are having, but we are keeping it to ourselves. You will all find out soon enough!"

Eleanor's friends gasped.

"What? That's ridiculous," scolded one woman in particular that Blair would have liked to _not_ be there. "You really should have told everyone dear, I had the hardest time selecting a gift."

Ignoring the comment, she turned to the next friend. "And we would rather not share their names yet." Her mind raced back their notecards, spread out all over the nursery floor. She and Dan had come home from the trip with name-filled cards in all _three_ colors, constantly adding and taking from the pile. Names were ingrained in her mind.

After they finished eating, Blair was directed to a chair where she was handed gifts of every size. She excitedly opened baby blankets, darling onesies, and a few outfits. Most importantly, she was given book after book after book after book. She couldn't wait to read every single one to the girls, whether it be before naptime or bedtime. Reading would make it into their routine no matter what.

Once the last cupcake was eaten (apart from the few Blair set aside for her and Dan), the final guest left, and the last scrap of wrapping paper was thrown away, Blair finally got off her feet. Serena and Vanessa were the only ones left, and so all three chatted while they waited for their husbands to arrive.

Some time later, Blair heard the familiar elevator chime and craned her head to see the new visitor. She felt both relieved and absolutely thrilled to see it was Dan. She smiled when she saw Nate and a Leo-carrying James trailing behind.

"The party's finally arrived," Dan joked, arms open.

"Was it this boring the entire time?" Nate said, walking up to a now-standing Serena and wrapping an arm around her side.

"Hey!" Serena said, hitting his shoulder lightly. "Obviously it was a lovely and fun party. It was thrown by me!" She leaned in and kissed him hello.

"Of course," Nate corrected himself, lips still close to hers.

Dan smiled at his wife. Blair was seated on the couch, her feet propped up on an ottoman, with two crème colored baby blankets in her lap. They looked incredibly soft from where he was standing and he couldn't wait to swaddle his girls in them.

He made his way to the couch and stood beside her legs. Blair took his hands to pull herself up, but he quickly stopped her. "No, no. Stay seated."

"Hi," Blair said almost dreamily, staring up at him. She looked so blissfully happy he wished he had been with her the whole day.

"Hi," he said back. He placed a hand on her cheek and traced the edges of her smile with his thumb. He leaned down and pressed a short kiss to her lips. Unsatisfied, she reached up and grabbed his collar, pulling him down into the seat next to her so she could kiss him soundly.

When she pulled away, she took his hand and played with his fingers. "How was the party?" Dan asked, eyes never leaving hers, and taking one of the blankets into his lap. He was right; they _were_ soft.

"It was amazing," she beamed. "The food was delicious and we didn't play any stupid, pointless games."

Dan shook his head, but couldn't help but smile.

She continued, "Everyone is just as excited as we are." Her smiled faded some and she rolled her eyes. "I had a few annoyed guests; simply because I refused to say their gender or give any hints about their names."

Dan furrowed his brow. "We haven't even chosen their names."

Blair gave a sly grin. "Yes, but _they_ don't know that. I couldn't help but have a little fun." She nudged his shoulder. "Speaking of fun...what did you boys do? Something age-appropriate for Leo, I hope?" She turned to the rest of her friends.

Nate smiled bashfully. "Well, we, uh..."

Dan looked down at his lap, a blush rising to his cheeks. "I had this idea to..."

"Oh my god guys," James said, shaking his head at their inability to speak. He turned to Blair. "We went to a parenting class for dads."

Blair's mouth fell open, unsure if she heard him correctly. Blinking, she asked, "You went to...a parenting class?"

"Yeah," Dan cut in. "We did," he said proudly. "I'm a bit rusty in the baby department; I mean, it's been a few years since Milo. I figured it would be helpful to learn some stuff."

"Yeah it was really helpful," Nate added, feeling slightly defensive of their activity. "_I _even learned a couple things. I'm glad we went...I really liked it.

"You did?" Serena asked softly, trying to keep in a smile. "You liked it?" He nodded and answered with a kiss.

Blair, still shocked and now overcome with emotion, didn't fight the tears pooled her eyes.

Serena pulled away from Nate and gasped, feigning insult. "Hey! You barely shed a tear during my sentimental toast and never cried once while opening gifts. And yet you get emotional about _this?_" She shook her head. "Ridiculous."

"The nerve!" Vanessa teased, adding to the joke.

Blair disregarded both jabs, eyes still glued to Dan. "This was your idea?"

"Yup," he said, still feeling slightly embarrassed.

She didn't know what to say. He could have been like any other guy– going out to a bar and drinking to his rapidly approaching new schedule of little sleep and time to himself. But instead, he did _this._ So she said the only words that came to mind.

"I love you," she said, meaning every letter.

"I love you too," Dan laughed, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Ready to head home?"

She sighed happily, wiping away the rest of the tears. "Yes. But you'll need Nate and James to help bring all this stuff to the car," she said, directing his attention to the gift pile in the corner of the room.

"And into the house," he said, eyes widening at the amount. "We better get a move on, then."

**::**

A few days later, Dan woke up to darkness and no wife. Turning over, he drowsily read that it was four in the morning. Now even more confused, he sat up, expecting to see the bathroom light on. He noticed a light on down the hall instead. He followed the source and fell into an easy smile when he saw Blair standing in the middle of the nursery, arms crossed across her stomach, staring down at the notecards.

He leaned against the doorframe and waited for her to notice his presence. When she looked at him a moment later, he gave a lopsided grin. She looked adorably sleepy and, as always, he found himself completely drawn to her.

"What are you doing up?" he whispered, wrapping his arms around her from behind, and resting his chin on her shoulder. "You should be sleeping." He turned and pressed a kiss into the warm crook of her neck, breathing in her scent.

"I couldn't sleep," she said absent-mindedly.

"Well maybe I can help," he hinted, turning her in his arms to finally kiss her properly.

"Mmm," she moaned into his mouth, immediately responding. She curled her arms around his neck and tried to meld closer with his body. Obviously impossible, she pulled away completely frustrated. "I love being pregnant, but I can't wait until I can hug you tightly again. And lie on top of you, and..." She trailed off, not expecting the desire that flooded her veins.

He groaned, feeling the same yearning surge though his system, and kissed her hungrily again. "I agree," he said against her lips, remembering the way he loved to pick her up so she could wrap her legs tightly around him. So close that their skin would touch each other _everywhere _to a point where he didn't know where he ended and she began.

He ran his hands down her body, feeling every curve and making her shiver with need. "Do you want to..."

"Uh huh..." she finished, never taking her lips from his. They slowly made their way down the hallway, ridding their sleepwear on the way. By the time they made it to their bed, Blair was so overcome with lust and love she thought she would burst. She surrendered herself to him, feeling more adored and ravished and desired than she thought possible. He was careful and passionate and mind numbingly sexy, and as they were pushed over the edge together, Blair felt more satisfied than she had in weeks.

They both laid next to each other, catching their breaths and cooling down. Pulse semi-normal again, and remembering how they got here in the first place, Dan asked, "Why were you in the nursery?"

She brushed his slightly damp curls away from his forehead and smiled. "Well, I was thinking about names all night, and I wanted to go in there and write some down. Before I forgot," she said, rolling her eyes at her most recent pregnancy side effect.

"Oh really?" he asked, pressing a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. She was absolutely addicting tonight. "And what did you come up with?"

"No names in particular," she said, shrugging. "Just an overall...theme."

"Tell me more," he nudged.

Tangling her legs with his, she reveled in the warmth he always brought her. Snuggling in more closely, she ran a hand down his chest. "Well, I think that we should give the girls formal _first_ names that have cute _nicknames_." She pulled away slightly and met his eyes.

"Okay..." he said warily, not understanding the significance.

Blair shook her head and pushed herself up onto her elbows. Explaining further, she continued, "I want to give them a more formal "Upper East Side" name. That way, if they grow up and marry a...let's say...Nate Archibald-type..." Dan smirked as she spoke with her hand. "...their name could work in that world. But the name needs to have a Brooklyn_-esque_ nickname, so if they grow up and find their Dan Humphrey..." She leaned in and kissed him. "Their name will fit."

Dan smiled widely. "So an example would be..."

"Olivia, nicknamed Liv, or Adelaide, nicknamed Addie," she said casually, the first names coming to mind.

Dan nodded. "I like that idea. A lot."

"Really?" she said, sounding immensely relieved. She slid back down under the covers.

"Yeah. Really." He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers for the hundredth time that night.

"Good."

"Well, _I_ was thinking that their names should be somewhat French. An ode to our time in Paris. Where we fell in love, got married..."

"Oh!" Blair gasped, cutting off his romantic speech. "I _love_ all French names." She closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "I cannot get over how _real_ this all feels," she said quietly, eyes still shut. She ran her hands over her belly. "I know I keep saying that. But it's true." She yawned widely and nestled in closer to Dan.

He brought up a finger and traced her beautiful features, from her eyes to her nose to her lips. "Well it's going to get real very soon," he whispered, noticing her start to relax into slumber. "Love you." He pressed one last kiss to her lips before they both feel asleep.

**::**

A few days later, Blair woke up feeling...

She couldn't quite put her finger on it. But she had a feeling she should take it easy today. Especially with Dan in Chicago on his last and final book tour leg, she wasn't going to overdo anything. So instead, she decided to stay in. The nursery was overflowing with shower gifts waiting to be organized, and she couldn't think of a better way to spend her lazy Saturday.

Climbing the staircase after finishing her breakfast, Blair immediately felt out of breath when she reached the top step. She stopped to take a deep breath, mildly alarmed at her state, but shrugged it off as being seven months pregnant with twins after climbing a flight of stairs.

She made her way slowly into the nursery, stopping to grip the doorway to steady herself, and her heart warmed at the sight. Their double stroller was still in its box, situated in the corner of the room, and there were bags of every baby essential imaginable on the floor. Overwhelmed at everything that needed to be sorted through, she started with the easy job first: placing diapers into the changing table drawers.

Opening up the box, Blair gasped, marveling at the tiny, newborn size. She was well aware that twins were normally smaller than singletons; she found it unbelievable that her girls would probably be swimming in these.

After the last diaper from the three boxes was put away, she moved onto looking through the books. She picked up the book on top of the stack and opened it. Tears sprung to her eyes as she read the handwritten note from Cyrus inside. She closed it and set it aside, deciding that organizing their daughters' mini library was one thing Dan _had_ to be present for.

Moving onto the clothes, she was relieved again to find most of it both adorable and gender-neutral. Blair was also happy to see that some outfits were coordinating, instead of identical. She and Dan had already decided that they were going to try and dress the girls a little differently each day, wanting to stress the importance of individuality. However, as babies, she knew there would be days where they would have five outfit changes each, and her babies' individuality would be the last thing on her mind.

As she started placing the clothes into the hamper to be washed, she noticed her face felt warm. Now a bit more alarmed, she walked slowly into the office. Picking up her cell, she texted Serena:

_feeling "off" today. can u come by? just in case. xo B._

She received a response immediately. _on my way. sit down, dont move._

Blair smiled at her friend's worried response, but followed her order. Moving quickly but carefully into her room, she was relieved to make it to the bed. She felt lightheaded the moment she started walking, and as she lay down, she was grateful she had already called Serena.

Serena made it there in an impressive twenty minutes. If Blair hadn't been so worried by the time she'd arrived, she would have interrogated her on her speedy driving. But all thoughts were out the window when she'd pressed her hands to her stomach and realized she couldn't remember the last time she felt the girls. Well, the last time she felt the girls move _a lot._ Ever since she felt their first kick, she and Dan had joked that their daughters were bound to be ballerinas or soccer players, because they never stopped rolling around. Their sudden decrease in movement had Blair in hysterics, and by the time Serena walked into her room, Blair was convinced something was wrong.

Not wanting to take any chances, Serena didn't hesitate picking up the phone and dialing 911. The paramedics arrived minutes later and once they realized the severity of the situation, took them to the nearest hospital. As she held her friend's hand in the back of the ambulance, Serena looked down at Blair.

"It's time to call Dan."

**::**

"Dan, you go on in _two_ minutes," Lindsey said sternly. "You don't have time to call Blair. You can call her after."

He rolled his eyes. "Seriously Lindsey? I just want to check in with her. I haven't talked to her since this morning. I'll be a minute, tops." As he started to walk away, she caught his arm.

"Dan. This is the _last_ thing I need you to do for me this weekend. Just go up there, talk about the book and sign a hundred of them. Call Blair after."

Dan closed his eyes and sighed. _"Fine."_ Lindsey held out her hand and he placed the phone in it, as he always did to avoid his phone ringing in the middle of speaking.

She smiled in defeat. "Knock 'em dead and sell some books." He ignored her, instead remaining silent, and turned towards the bookstore's makeshift stage. As Dan grabbed the microphone and greeted the guests warmly, Lindsey felt his phone vibrate in her hand. _Blair_ came up on the screen and she quickly pressed the button to make it stop. No less than a minute later, _Blair_ called again. She stopped the vibrating immediately, as she noticed the nearby glares, and decided turning it off completely would be the best decision. Just as she located the power button, the name _Serena_ appeared onscreen. Rolling her eyes, she turned the phone off.

_Whatever it is, it can wait._

* * *

**A/N: **Don't hate me. ;) Tell me your thoughts! Review please!


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** This may be a personal HTB record :) I couldn't leave you all hanging! It was sort of a cruel cliffhanger :) Thanks for all the continued support. Enjoy the chapter!

I've said it before, and I'll say it a thousand more times. Thanks so much to Sara (browncolorado) for everything. You rock.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

Making his way offstage, Blair was the first thing on Dan's mind. His discussion with his fans went well; today he was totally on his game. But ever since Lindsey had refused to let him call Blair, he had a bad feeling. And as the minutes passed by, the pit in his stomach grew bigger. He searched for Lindsey through the crowd, expertly avoiding the swarm of people coming up to meet him. After thirty seconds, he finally spotted her next to the table he would sign autographs at.

"Hey, can I have my phone?" he said quickly, eyeing the nearing fans.

"I would rather you sign books fir–"

"Give me my phone Lindsey," he said sternly, holding his hand out. She obliged with a glare–one he could care less about at this point.

Confused as to why it was turned off, he powered up the phone and watched the screen. After a few seconds of waking up, it began to vibrate, notifying him of all of the missed calls and messages he had received. His heart dropped at the numbers.

_26 missed calls._

_9 missed texts._

He felt as if the air was knocked out of him. As he gulped for breath, he selected the first voicemail and brought the phone to his ear.

All he heard were the words:

_Blair...can't feel...girls...ambulance...scared..._

_Hurry._

Through blurred vision, he looked at the time of the first call. Rage tore through his system as he saw it was _before_ he went on stage.

"_LINDSEY!"_ his voice boomed, silencing the people around him. Lindsey looked up in shock, appalled at his sudden outburst.

"What in the hell–"

"Why didn't you give me my phone? You had it when Serena called...I wasn't even on stage. Why didn't you tell me?"

He was beginning to pace, scrolling through the texts he missed. His throat became tight as he read through them, each one more urgent and frantic than the last.

Lindsey grabbed him by the arm and dragged him outside.

"You had a job to do Dan. We had a lot of people waiting–"

"I don't fucking care Lindsey!" he yelled, rubbing his hand against his forehead. "I need to go."

"Dan wait–"

He cut her off. "We're done," he said, shaking his head, already walking to the car.

She scoffed. "What do you mean we're done?"

He started back towards her. "I'm done with _you._ You're fired. I'm getting another publisher. One who gives me the phone when my seven-months pregnant _wife_ calls me."

"But the fans–"

He didn't even hear her, already sprinting to the waiting car. Although he was glad his luggage was in the car, it wouldn't even had mattered; he would have gone straight to the airport anyway.

"O'Hare," he nearly barked at the driver. And as the car sped towards the airport, where the Bass jet would be waiting, he made a mental note to send Chuck a bottle of scotch. Or a case. Or one hundred different shades of purple bowties.

Whatever the hell it was, it would never be enough.

**::**

After the quick ambulance ride, Blair was taken right to the emergency room. The doctor on call breezed quickly into the room. "Let's take a look," she said, moving fast and wheeling the ultrasound machine closer to the bed. After applying some gel on Blair's stomach, she pressed the wand onto her skin, eyes eagerly scanning the screen.

Blair kept her hand tightly connected to Serena's and her eyes closed–too afraid to look. If something was wrong, she didn't want to watch it happen. She focused on the pain shooting through her left hand, as the obviously new nurse jabbed the iv into her vein.

After a few moments, the glorious sound of heartbeats pulsed through the room, making Blair sob and Serena sigh with relief. Blair began firing questions through heaving breaths. "Are both of their heartbeats there? Are they strong? Are my girls okay?"

The doctor turned to her with an empathetic look and took her hand. "They're both _fine_. They look great." She continued moving the wand across Blair's stomach to check everything.

Blair closed her eyes again, leaning back against the pillow. She let out deep, calculated breaths, calming herself down. "They're both okay? Promise?" she asked, eyes still shut.

"I promise. They both look perfectly healthy," the doctor reassured once more. "Their weights are still right on target and their heartbeats are strong."

Opening her eyes, Blair looked at the screen for the first time, watching the different views of her babies appear. The doctor noticed that she still looked unconvinced and worried.

"Blair," the doctor said. Blair's eyes remained mesmerized to her girls. "Blair."

Serena tried, shaking her friend's hand. "Blair."

Tearing her eyes from the screen, Blair turned to both. "Huh?" She still looked to be in a daze.

The doctor gave a small smile. "Blair, I want you to repeat after me: My girls are fine."

Blair took a deep breath, tears still streaming down her face. "My girls are fine," she repeated, voice breaking at the end. "My girls are fine," she repeated once more. This time for _her._

After finishing the ultrasound, the doctor excused herself, saying she would be back in a bit with more test results, and that a nurse would be by to bring her to the maternity ward.

Once Blair was in her new private room, she turned to Serena. "Has Dan called yet?" she asked hopefully.

Serena shook her head. "No. I've called him every five minutes since the ambulance ride and he hasn't picked up. I left a voicemail and texts saying what hospital and room number we're in."

"Every five minutes?" Blair asked in disbelief. She had obviously been too caught up in her hospital drama to notice Serena slipping away with her phone. "Dan's going to be worried sick when he sees all the missed calls."

_Dan_. Just the thought of him made her start to cry again. She wished more than anything he was here. He would have made her calm. He would have made her relax. He would have made sure everyone in their power was helping her and their girls. He would have held her hand so tightly the entire time, she would have had to tell him to ease his grip. He would have never left her side. And although Serena had been the perfect substitute–saying and doing all the right things–she wanted Dan. Her _husband_.

Their _dad._

"You should try and rest B. You look tired," Serena said, brushing Blair's hair away from her face.

Blair started to sit up, shaking her head. "No, I want to keep calling him."

"B," Serena said more sternly, helping her lie back down. "You need to rest. I'll wake you up as soon as he calls." To further emphasize that she was not kidding in the slightest, she lowered Blair's bed, so she had no choice but to lie back down.

"Serena!" Blair scolded, knowing there was no way for her to get up now.

"I'll call him again. _Rest. _I'll be right back." Serena turned to leave the room. "If you feel sick or dizzy again, press the emergency button, okay?"

"Okay," Blair promised, trying her best to make herself more comfortable under the covers. The sheets were scratchy and cold and she was wearing a faded blue hospital gown she didn't remember being changed in to. She also had the iv and straps wrapped around her stomach. Although they were incredibly uncomfortable, they monitored the girls stats and heart rates, so she pushed the annoyance out of her mind.

With everyone finally out of the room, Blair welcomed the quiet. She closed her eyes, finally relaxing a bit, and focused on the _thump thump thump _that echoed through the room. She turned on her side, relieving some of the weight off of her back, and slowly ran her hands over her swollen belly. She smiled as she felt the girls move within her. _Keep doing that_, she thought to herself.

She didn't even realize she had drifted off to sleep, until she felt a hand softly caress her head. Then lips kiss her forehead. And a hand rest on her stomach. Groggily, she opened her eyes, wondering who the person could be.

When she saw Dan gazing down at her, tears immediately fell from her eyes again. At this point, she knew she and her girls would be fine. But she was so goddamn happy to see him she couldn't help but weep with joy.

"Hi," she breathed, reaching out to take his hand.

"Hi," he replied, leaning down to kiss away her tears. After kissing each one, he ended on her lips. Everything was thrust into this kiss–_I'm sorry, I love you._

_I can't believe I wasn't here._

_I'm so glad you're okay._

_I love you._

_I _love _you._

When he pulled away, she smiled up at him. And even though he didn't ask– "We're okay," she said loud enough for only him to hear.

"Thank god," he replied, before capturing her lips again.

"How was Chicago?"

Of _course_ she would ask how his book tour went; sitting in a hospital bed did nothing to erase her support for him. He sighed and then leant down to kiss her forehead. "Later..." he said, not wanting to rile her up about the details of his unbelievable day. Before she could protest, a knock sounded.

Looking at the door, they watched as the doctor appeared in the room. "Oh, you're up! And the missing husband finally made it!"

"Yeah, finally," Dan chuckled, wondering how many people in the hospital knew of his infamous absence.

The doctor scanned her notes again. "Well I have some test results that I would like to share with you."

At this, Blair froze. "Test results?"

The doctor pulled over one of the chairs and sat down. "We got some of your blood work back, and found something we need to keep our eyes on."

"Is Blair okay? Are the girls?" Dan said in a voice full of worry, paternal instincts kicking in. He felt Blair squeeze his hand.

"Yes, they will all be fine," the doctor said meaningfully once again, putting both their minds at ease. "But it seems that Blair has become anemic, which explains why she felt faint and weak. During pregnancy, your body's iron requirements go up significantly. And although you are taking pre-natal vitamins and supplements with iron, you aren't getting the amount you need."

"So what do we have to do?" Dan asked.

"It's very simple to deal with. All I need to do is put Blair on a higher dosage of iron. This is not uncommon with twin pregnancies; I see it often." She wrote something down on the chart in her hands.

"That's it?" Blair questioned.

The doctor looked up. "Yes, that's it."

"Wait..." Dan started, confused. "Serena said something about the girls having a sudden decrease in movement. Why did that happen?"

The doctor smiled. "Blair is a small girl who is seven months pregnant ─with _twins._ Healthy twins. The more they grow, the less room they have. She'll continue to feel them move around of course, but not as much as she did earlier on. The ultrasound this morning showed two perfectly healthy little girls. It's quite possible the girls felt the stress Blair was having and were not as peppy as I hear they've been." At this, both Blair and Dan broke into knowing grins. "But besides the anemia, _everything_ and _everyone_ is fine."

They both let out another sigh of relief.

Blair cleared her throat. "Um…so…it's not…it's not because Dan and I…had _sex?_" Her face became as red as the polish on her nails.

The doctor let out a laugh. "No, sex did not cause these problems. And if may I say, I am very impressed that you have continued being intimate. Usually at this stage in pregnancy, sex is the last thing on women's minds. And with twins? More power to you."

If it was possible, Blair blushed more.

The doctor continued, "However, I would discourage you from doing that often. I would like you to take it easy and relax as much as you can. In fact, I'm putting you on moderate bedrest for two weeks."

"But can she go home?" Dan asked, running a hand through his hair, also slightly embarrassed by the conversation.

"No, I would like to keep her overnight for observation. I want to check her levels in the morning and see if they've risen. We'll also do another ultrasound in the morning."

Blair relaxed at this news; she was more than happy to stay a little longer. Not only would it give her peace of mind, but she also wouldn't mind having another look at the babies.

As the doctor left, Serena made her way into the room. "Everything good in here?" she asked, immediately making herself comfortable on the end of Blair's bed.

Dan nodded. "Yes, everything's fi–"

"Oh my god what happened?" Nate yelled, running into the room and cutting Dan off. He ran up to Serena. "Are you okay?

Serena furrowed her brow and smirked, quite amused by his frantic state. "I'm not the one in the hospital bed." Nate took a quick glance at Blair, and then turned back to his wife.

"I was so worried when you I got your message," he said, bringing his hands to her waist to pull her closer.

She smiled and ran a hand through his hair. Blair watched as Serena brought her lips close to Nate's ear, whispering something inaudible. As Nate broke into a grin, Serena kissed him square on the mouth. Seeing her best friends in love was almost as great as being in love herself, Blair thought, pulling on Dan's hand to guide him to the bed. She scooted over to make room and curled into his body–as best she could–once he was next to her.

After Nate and Serena offered to go pick up take-out, the friends sat and ate dinner together, laughing at the horrible Lifetime movie on tv, and shaking their heads as they recounted a day that could have ended much worse.

A few hours later, the Archibalds left for the night, promising to stop by the house with bedrest-friendly activities once Blair was home. Minutes later, a nurse came in to check on Blair, and after announcing everything looked great, she left the couple to themselves. Ignoring her protests, Dan got off the bed and made his way over to his suitcase. Still on her side, Blair was too tired to sit up to see what he was doing, but the more zippers she heard being opened, the more curious she got.

"Close your eyes," Dan said from across the room, and she automatically did as she was asked.

"Why?" Blair asked impatiently, wondering what in the world he was up to. She gasped, talking a mile a minute. "Oh! Did you bring me something from Chicago? Michigan Avenue is _divine_ for shopping. I recently read a new Burberry store opened there. Dan, did you see it? You must have–your hotel was a block from it!"

He laughed. "Would you just cool it?" She heard his footsteps near her bed. "Guessing a surprise isn't fun."

"Yes it is."

Dan leaned down and kissed the adorable, irresistible pout that crossed her face.

"Okay...open."

She didn't know what she was expecting, but the sight of Dan holding a sweetly wrapped pink box was not it. It was almost a funny sight–her sexy, scruffy husband holding a white and pink striped box, complete with a bow on top.

"What's this?" she asked, sitting up and reaching for the box.

"You're holding the present and yet you still want me to tell you what's inside?" he teased, watching her reaction closely.

Blair ignored his barb, and instead tugged on the ribbon lightly. It came undone easily, and Dan watched as she ripped the wrapping paper at a painstakingly slow pace, until she finally made it to the box.

She paused for a beat before opening the box. At last, she saw the surprise. Her breath hitched and tears fell freely.

Nestled deep in delicate pale pink wrapping paper was a light grey knitted baby cardigan. And just over the spot that covers your heart, the Eiffel Tower was sewn in.

Just like the one she bought months ago. Before they knew she was pregnant. Before they knew she was having girls. Before they knew it was _possible_ for all of this.

"How did you...where did...where did you find this?" she asked in awe, unfolding the tiny sweater and laying it on her lap.

"I had some time to kill in the Chicago and went into a baby store. It was the first thing I saw, and I realized it was the same one you bought a while ago. I _had_ to get it. After all, we need another one, don't we?" he said smiling, loving that _she_ loved it.

She wiped her eyes. "Thank you. I love it." She tugged on his shirt to draw him close, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Now come back to bed. You keep my mind off of the scratchy sheets."

He raised a brow. "Oh, is that all I'm good for?" he teased, slowly making his way into the bed anyway.

"Shh," she shushed him, kissing his cheek and snuggling close to him once again. After days of being separated, she finally relaxed into his embrace and settled down. Dan drew soothing patterns on her back and arms as she drowsily told him what she had gotten done in the nursery. Every so often, they would hear a baby cry, prompting both to quiet down immediately and smile to themselves. Exultant cries were made from new parents all down the halls, and if they listened close enough, they were able to make out a few "It's a boy!" and "It's a girl!" announcements. After their drama-filled day, Blair gratefully succumbed to sleep, happy to leave the scary day behind them.

**::**

"Morning!" the nurse said cheerfully, rousing Blair and Dan sooner than they would have liked. Dan looked at his watch and groaned. Six am. _That's the hospital for ya._

"I just came in to check your stats," the nurse said, wrapping the blood pressure band around Blair's arm, oblivious to their glares. After everything looked good, she left them alone again, but they were unable to fall back asleep.

"I can't wait to get home...in our house...in our bed..."

"Yeah. I second that," Dan chimed in.

"And have you wait on me hand and foot," she added playfully, before turning to kiss him.

Laughing, he pulled away. "Whatever you want, whatever you need, I will be at your beck and call. Anything."

"Anything?" she tested.

"Yup."

She smiled knowingly. "So...care to tell me what happened in Chicago?"

"Oooh, anything but that."

Blair raised her eyebrows. "I thought you said _anything._ Come on, you've barely said a word about the entire trip. _Including_ why you were unreachable all day."

"Blair..."

She sighed. "Daniel, may I remind you that I am your wife? Who you love more than anything in the entire world? Who is seven months pregnant with your twin daughters? In the hospital?" There was a certain bite to her words.

Dan groaned, rubbing his face with his hands. "You're going to get mad."

"Mad?" she asked, confused. "Why would I get mad?"

"Because Lindsey did something really bad," he said, getting off the bed. He leaned his back against the window, facing her.

Blair's eyes narrowed. "Of course she did. Spill it."

Dan hesitated.

"Dan..." Blair said in a tone that made his blood run cold.

"She turned my phone off. During my talk yesterday."

Blair's face didn't change, not grasping what he was telling her.

"She turned my phone off _after_ she saw you and Serena had called a couple of times."

Her face turned stone cold, eyes blazing with anger. "She did _WHAT?_!"

The steady sounds of the machines strapped to her picked up the pace, beeping out of control.

A nurse hurried in. "Mrs. Humphrey, you're blood pressure and heart rate are rising too fast. I need you to relax."

"Blair, try to calm down," Dan said, rushing over to her bed. "The most important thing is that I got here."

"That bitch better hide," she said ignoring Dan and the nurse completely. She swung her legs to the side of the bed to attempt to stand up. "Where is she? Chicago?"

"No! Sit down!" Dan and the nurse said simultaneously. Blair obliged with a glare sharper than knife.

"And how, Daniel, did you handle this situation?" she said icily. He could tell she was still mentally planning an escape.

"I fired her. On the spot."

At his words, she relaxed some. "Thank god. Didn't I warn you about her? There were so many warning signs. For instance... her horrible accent, her incapability of knocking on doors, her perfect punctuality whenever I did anything _remotely_ affectionate towards you, and don't even get me started on her hair..."

"I get it," Dan said, holding up a hand to stop her. "But she is gone for good. I will get a replacement in the next few days. Don't worry about it anymore."

She huffed. "What kind of person does something like that? I just don't understand."

"Neither do I," he said, leaning down to kiss her head. "Everything's okay now."

As the minutes went by, Blair calmed down more and more. She was still absolutely livid about the entire situation, but stress was not good for the girls. A few hours later, Lindsey was gone from their minds once the second the doctor performed another ultrasound. The girls looked perfect, and once they got word that Blair's iron levels had improved, she was discharged from the hospital.

They walked into the house feeling in great need of a shower and edible food. Dan ushered Blair right up to the bath while he ordered take-out and they both focused on having a drama-free final few weeks. As they went to sleep, Dan promised Blair that while she was on bedrest, he would help put the final touches on the nursery. They both fell asleep feeling more fortunate and thankful than ever–that everything turned out okay.

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews are greatly appreciated. :)


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Sorry for the wait! And, of course, thank you for your reviews. I appreciated them all very much.

Thanks, as always, to Sarabrowncolorado. She was so helpful during my bouts of _what the hell should I write?_ :) She gets some credit for this chapter.

Apologies for the minor (major?) cheesiness. This chapter is a filler, but necessary for timing purposes. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

"Where is she?" Serena asked, racing by Dan with an armful of bags.

"She's up...stairs..." Dan started to say, but she was already on the steps as he finished. She heard him call, "Good to see you too!" but she was almost to the master bedroom.

"B?" she asked, opening the door.

"Hey S," Blair said, sitting up in bed. "I'm so glad you came! I was getting sick of Dan," she teased.

"You've been on bedrest for twelve hours," Serena laughed, climbing on the bed next to her.

She smiled. "I know."

"How are you feeling?" Serena asked, changing the mood to a more serious one.

Blair sighed. "I feel fine. Great, in fact. They're definitely on an iron kick; they've been moving non-stop this morning."

Serena bit her lip to try and contain a smile.

Blair sighed audibly, though a grin was plastered upon her face. "Go ahead S...I know you _know_."

Bringing her voice low, Serena whispered, "You're having..._girls._"

Blair nodded, feeling only a little embarrassed by the tears that sprung to her eyes. "Yeah. I am."

"Girls! _Girls!_" Serena squealed. "I can't get over it! It's so perfect. _They'll_ be perfect." She reached over and squeezed Blair's hand.

"They will, won't they?" Blair agreed, momentarily allowing herself to picture what their daughters will look like.

"I was so excited yesterday after we left the hospital that I dragged Natie to three different baby stores."

Blair suddenly noticed the shopping bags engulfing Serena. "S, you didn't..."

"Of course I did! I couldn't _not_ buy anything after I found out," she replied, as if the answer was completely obvious.

Knowing she would lose this fight, Blair resigned, sitting back to watch Serena dig through the bags. "So how was Nate in the store? I would pay to see that."

"Oh he went crazy. Ooh-ing and ahh-ing over every little thing. He nearly melted when he saw this mini lacrosse stick. Even though we don't know what this one is yet, he bought it anyway," Serena said laughing, unconsciously rubbing her stomach. She looked around. "Where is that one box?" she said, opening another big.

Blair's jaw dropped, still frozen on Serena's previous statement. "I'm sorry..._what?_"

Serena's attention snapped back to Blair. She gasped, covering her mouth. "Shit!"

"Are you..."

"Pregnant? Yeah," Serena said, looking slightly guilty. "I was going to tell you after the girls were born, but..."

"Why?"

"Because..." Blair heard her voice crack. "Because it took you so long to get here," she said, placing a hand on Blair's stomach. "And this one wasn't exactly planned. It's, of course, a welcome surprise, and we're thrilled...but..."

"You slipped up one night?" Blair teased.

Serena blushed. "You know how Nate and I get..."

Blair held up a hand. "I've got it...thanks," she laughed. "You're going to have to think of a more PG story to tell your kid when they get older."

Serena smiled. "I know." She took a deep breath. "So,..you're not mad?"

"Mad? No! S, I'm so happy for you! We're going to have kids together!"

"I know!" she beamed. "And am I allowed to hope just a little that I have a girl too? I mean, look at these!" She held up mini Mary Janes. They were black paten-leather and adorable.

Blair gasped and nearly grabbed them from her hands. "Oh my gosh!"

"Oh my gosh, what?" Dan mimicked, walking into the room with Nate.

"Dan, _look_ at these! How cute are they?"

Dan eyed Serena. "I'm guessing Serena knows we're having girls," he said, not hiding his sarcasm.

Blair ignored him. "And Nate Archibald! You know I can't get up! Come over here this instant!"

Nate smiled bashfully and walked slowly over to the bed. He even made it easy for Blair to hug him, sitting down in the bed beside her.

"I'm so happy for you two," she whispered into his ear, embracing him tightly.

"Thanks, B," he said when he pulled away.

She bit her lip and looked at husband, then back to Nate and Serena. "Can I tell Dan?"

"He already knows but, sure, you can tell him again," Nate chuckled, wrapping his arm around Serena.

"What! How long have you known?" she asked slightly annoyed, frowning at Dan.

He walked over to the bed and kissed her forehead. "Ten minutes. Relax."

"_Fine,_" she sighed, smiling once her eyes caught the shoes again. "Now what're you guys up to tonight? Dan could make us dinner!"

"Oh...could I?" he teased, earning a wink from Blair.

"As great as that sounds...we have dinner plans with my mom," Nate said, looking at his watch. "That unfortunately we will be late for if we don't leave now." He got off the bed, but was stopped by Serena, who tugged on his arm.

"Do we _have_ to go?" Serena pouted.

Blair intervened, seeing Nate already struggle with the decision. "S, go. Trust me, I'm not going anywhere. You can come back tomorrow. In fact, I'm _begging_ you to come back tomorrow."

Dan nodded. "Yes, I second that. Nate, I need you buddy."

A look of confusion crossed Nate's face. "What? Why? How did I get dragged into bedrest entertainment?"

"No, you're helping _me_. Two words," he said, holding up two fingers. "Crib construction."

"Times two," Blair added, grinning widely.

After promising to come back the next day, Serena and Nate left Blair and Dan with bags of baby gifts and a list of things to do for Blair in the city.

And just as they said they would, their friends returned the next day...and the next...and the next. Over the last few weeks of Blair's pregnancy, Serena and Nate and Vanessa and James all rotated making dinners and running errands for Blair and Dan, helping in every way that they could. On the nights that Dan had to make short appearances for his book, Serena was at their doorstep with dinner, ready to pop in an Audrey movie. They were both never more grateful for their friends than in these weeks.

Dan also worked in the nursery a little bit everyday. With little hints from Blair, he crafted an idea of what he thought she would love, and got to work. She had already ordered the furniture and fabric, so he just made sure the room was pulled together in time. The days were passing quickly, and he raced to get it finished.

**::**

"Dan, can you please bring me my camera bag?" Blair asked, throwing her magazine to the side. She was sick of reading every last baby book and magazine imaginable, and she was determined to change up the routine for the day.

"Sure," he replied, appearing a moment later with it. "What will you be taking a picture of?" he asked curiously, wondering what was so interesting about their bed.

She smiled knowingly. "_I_ won't be taking any pictures today. I will be teaching_ you_ how to take pictures." She patted the spot next to her and smiled coyly. "Take a seat, babe. Knowing your past history of leaving the lens cap on, I have a feeling this is going to take a while."

"You're the photographer of the family, why do I need to learn to take pictures?"

She sighed. "_Because..._I would like a few pictures of me and my girls. And so help me if they all turn out blurry and dark..."

"Say no more," Dan said, eagerly taking the camera to save himself from future harassment.

So for the next hour, Blair went through each setting, button, and symbol on her camera. She went over exposure and aperture, depth of field and ISO. Studious as always, Dan wrote the most important tips down in his pocket notebook.

He was actually very glad to have Blair teach the basics of photography to him, because he had wanted to get a picture of her for the past nine months. It was a long road getting to where they were, and it was quite possible that these girls were it for them. She may never get to be pregnant again, and he wanted to make sure he had visual documentation of this important time.

And so on that thought, he lifted the camera and aimed it at her. _Right_ as he went to take the picture, her eyes caught him.

"What are earth do you think you're doing?" she asked in shock, as if she'd never seen someone take a picture before.

Dan furrowed a brow and cautiously said, "Taking...a...picture...of...you?

"Oh. You must have gone momentarily deaf," she jabbed, letting Dan know that the mood swings were definitely still in effect. "I want you to take a picture of me and my _girls_."

He laughed, "I am," before raising the camera again.

Blair audibly sighed and gently pushed the camera away from his eyes. Releasing some of her anger, she said, "Dan, this is really sweet, but I look absolutely terrible."

"How many times do I need to tell you that you don't?" He let the question linger in the air.

She bit her lip for a moment, staring at him deeply, before she gave a small smile. She brought her hand up to his chest, fingering the fabric of his shirt, before tugging on it to being his lips to hers. "Why are you always so nice to me?" she whispered against his lips.

"It's easy," he shrugged, kissing her once more.

"Can you at least wait to take a picture until I'm out of our bed? With some makeup on?"

Dan nodded. "Sure."

And so for the next week, Dan practiced taking pictures of everything, in every setting and lighting imaginable. Blair was so rarely out of bed, that he began to think she was staying in there on purpose. Until finally, today. They had been at one of her final doctor's appointments, so she had gladly used the occasion to put on makeup and actual clothes. It had been a routine appointment, capped off with something exciting–under their doctor's recommendation, they scheduled a cesarean section for the following week. So after they returned from their appointment, he helped her upstairs and then went off to the kitchen. When he brought the tray up with her lunch, he found an empty bedroom. He smiled when he realized where she was and grabbed her camera.

Blair was sitting in the nursery chair–a recurrent spot of hers lately. The sun was setting outside, so a warm glow radiated through windows, covering Blair. He couldn't help but notice how peaceful she looked; she wasn't doing anything besides simply looking around and admiring the room. Her arms were wrapped protectively around her stomach and he quietly took a picture of her looking out the window. Right after he took it, she must have felt one of the girls kick; she immediately looked down at her stomach, smiling widely. The whole scene was so perfect, he couldn't help by take another picture.

Knowing he didn't need any more photos, he cleared his throat to announce his presence. She looked at him. "Come here," Blair asked, smiling blissfully.

Once he was standing beside her chair, she took his hand and guided it to her stomach, placing her hand on his. Once Dan felt his daughters moving against his palm, he beamed. "Can you believe we'll be holding them in a week? These nine months went by so fast."

"Ha!" Blair exclaimed. "I feel like it's dragged."

"To me it feels like yesterday we heard their heartbeats for the first time."

"Yeah, well. Once you carry twins around for nine months, you'll see what I mean by 'it's dragged.'" She let out another laugh.

After a beat, Dan said, "August 30th is a good birthday."

Blair smiled up at him. "I agree."

Comfortable silence ensued, so they each took the moment to look around the room and drink everything in.

The nursery was beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning. Perfect. As Blair looked around, she realized no word could completely describe it; it was everything she had wanted it to be. It was simple and warm and just the perfect place for her girls to call their own. Although she had wanted to help more, Dan had done an amazing job, and she couldn't wait to tell her daughters one day how much hard work Dan put into it. How for a guy, he embraced pink to the fullest.

The walls were painted a light grey, with white crown molding and trim outlining the room. The windows were adorned with sheer pale pink curtains, allowing a light to flow through freely, but underneath they had hung bamboo blinds to darken the room at night. If they were anything like their father, they would need to sleep in the pitch-black darkness.

The two white cribs were situated beside each other on the left wall, allowing the girls to be near each other. And hanging above were black-and-white pictures of Paris–taken by Blair herself. On the wall beside, there were two white dressers, which doubled as changing tables. Blair had insisted on two, so she and Dan could embrace co-parenting–especially at changing time. But also so they could fill the drawers with _clothes._ Little _girl _clothes.

But both Blair and Dan's favorite part, however, was against the right side if the room. It was a wall of bookshelves, spanning floor-to-ceiling, corner-to-corner. Each book that was given to them at the shower was placed there, among empty picture frames soon to be filled with baby pictures. And nestled in the corner were two big, comfy rocking chairs, one for each Blair and Dan to rock and read to their daughters. Before she had been put on bedrest, she had dragged Dan to every furniture store in Manhattan, testing every rocking chair. She had been on a hunt to find the most comfortable one, and after weeks of searching finally found it. So she naturally ordered two. It was, after all, her favorite number.

Everything was ready; everything was in its place. All that was left were the girls.

* * *

**A/N:** You know what's next...finally. Excited to hear their names? :) Reviews are always appreciated!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Thanks to those who reviewed. I'll keep this short, so onto the chapter you've been waiting for...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

To say that Dan and Blair's story was expected would be the understatement of the century. None of it was according to plan. So, naturally, their girls followed suit.

Two days before her c-section, Blair awoke at three in the morning to a wet bed. She turned over and quickly woke up Dan.

"Are you sure?" Dan asked drowsily.

Blair rolled her eyes in the dark. "Are you really going to ask me that Daniel?" she sneered. "Of course I'm sure."

"I was just asking," he said, sitting up bed. "You could have easily wet the–"

"Don't even _think_ about finishing that sentence," she said coldly. "My water broke."

It was then—when she finally said it out loud—that he felt jolted awake. "Oh my god."

"Yeah," Blair said, amused by his reaction. "No need to freak out, but we should go to the hospital. While I shower, you call the doctor and tell them we're on our way."

He nodded mechanically and helped her to the bathroom. Much to Dan's dismay, Blair insisted on taking her time. She was cool as a cucumber, while he was the complete opposite, and inwardly thankful their hospitals bags had been packed for weeks.

An hour and a half later, they arrived at the hospital. Blair began feeling small contractions in the car, so she was more than grateful to be there.

After confirming that she was indeed in labor, Blair was admitted and brought to a room. As she changed into a gown, another pain shot through her body, taking her breath away. She gripped Dan's arm until the contraction subsided, then got comfortable on the bed.

"Welcome Humphrey's. I see the girls are a little eager to meet you," Blair's doctor said, breezing into the room. "I wasn't expecting you before your Thursday, but since everything is progressing smoothly, want to see if you can have these babies without a c-section?"

"It hasn't been too bad so far, so...I guess I'll try," Blair said, looking at Dan nervously. "Are you sure this is okay to do with twins?"

The doctor nodded, "Of course. We'll be monitoring you the whole time, and you'll deliver in an OR. If anything goes wrong, we can have them out in sixty seconds."

Blair exhaled in relief, before another pain surged through her. "Oh my god," she gasped. "Maybe I take that back."

The doctor laughed. "I'll have an epidural sent to your room momentarily. It will ease the pain and let you rest up before you have them. I'll come check on you a little later."

The next few hours consisted of more contractions, lots of phone calls, hundreds of ice chips, and countless _I love yous_. Even after everyone's protests, Dan and Blair swore away all visitors, ensuring that they would call when The Time was close. Although Blair received an epidural, she still felt pain, and was completely exhausted by lunchtime; the contractions were not only getting closer together, but they were also increasing in length. At just after two in the afternoon, a nurse finally came in to check on her.

"Looks like it's almost go time!" the nurse said, before announcing orders to send for the doctor and have Blair wheeled up to the OR.

Blair let out a small gasp. It felt like she had been in labor for days, but now everything—and every _one—_suddenly began moving fast. Two nurses were quickly at her bedside to wheel her to the operating room, separating her and Dan. As they moved her down the hall, she felt a contraction begin to build again and looked around for her husband. "Dan?" she worriedly called, trying to sit up in the bed, despite the pain.

"Blair, sweetie, please lie back while the bed is moving. Just breathe through it," the nurse on her left said.

"I'm right behind you," Dan called, and even through her bated pants, Blair felt she could breath easier.

Once they were in the OR, she immediately felt blanketed by...cold_._ Everything was white and sterile and freezing, and her nerves mounted again.

But once she saw the warming crib in the corner of the room, her nerves subsided some. She looked up at Dan, his brown eyes saving her from the starkness of the room. She gave a small smile, and he gently squeezed her hand.

"Where's the dad?" a voice asked, pulling their gaze away from each other.

Grinning proudly, Dan raised his hand. "Uh, I guess that would be...me."

The nurse smiled. "Come with me. We have to get you into scrubs—just in case."

Dan looked down at a panicked and pale Blair. "No, don't leave! You _can't_ leave!" She held his arm tightly.

"Babe, you're doing _great,_" he assured her, pressing a kiss to her sweaty forehead. "I'll be two minutes, I promise."

Her eyes watered, and she bit her trembling lip. "Okay. Hurry back."

Blair's eyes widened as she watched her husband leave the room, and five white-coated individuals walk _in_. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, a contraction seized her body, shifting her focus back to breathing. She searched for something to grip, as Dan's hand was unavailable, and settled on the bed rails. Breathing through clenched teeth, she watched in horror as they made themselves comfortable in the room, looking through her chart and checking her monitors. One even approached her bed and carefully placed her legs in the stirrups.

Once she was able to talk through the pain, she turned to them. "Excuse me? But who are you and where are your credentials? This is a private OR, and I don't appreciate snooping passerbys." Even as she said this, three more doctors walked in; but this time, they wheeled in the other warming crib. She didn't even have time to get excited about the _second_ crib—she was too stunned at the amount of people. It seemed every second brought another doctor. "If you haven't noticed, I'm about to give birth. This is an invasion of privacy!" _Where was Dan?_

All five paused and looked at one another. One looked down at her chart for her name. "Mrs. Humphrey, we're fourth year medical students, which is all the credentials we need in this hospital. We're here to watch."

"Watch?" she gaped, completely appalled. "This isn't some movie at the Film Forum." She felt another contraction start, and did her best to ignore it. "I will have you know...that my hus—" she had to take a breath to breathe through the pain. "My _husband_ is a very well-known _published_ author...w-who is more than cape—" Deep breath."_Capable_ of writing a telling exposé on this hospital's intrusive doctors." She saw a flash of blue and turned to see Dan standing a few feet away, outfitted in scrubs. He was raising his eyebrows at her, as if saying _Really?_

"I'm gone for two minutes and you're already threatening the doctors?" he laughed, shaking his head.

Contraction finally subsiding, she took another deep breath. "Dan, can you please find out why my room is filled with people? I mean, does each baby get a half-dozen doctors?" she asked, slight kidding.

"Actually," her doctor cut in, "Yes. This is a teaching hospital, and it's not every day that twins are born naturally. I hope you don't mind the medical students in the room."

Before she could answer, Dan did. "It's fine." He turned back to Blair, brushing stray pieces of hair off her face. "Waldorf."

Blair eyes filled with tears again. "Dan, there's so many people–"

"Waldorf," Dan whispered again, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "We're about to meet our girls. Forget everyone else. Okay?" He kissed her soundly then, and she forgot what she was upset about.

"You look really sexy in scrubs," she smirked, looking him over from head to toe.

Dan gave a cheeky grin. "I look good in everything."

Before Blair could retort, her eyes squeezed shut in pain. She began breathing heavily again and grabbed his hand. "God..." she groaned. "They're so close together now."

"I know, but you're doing so great. Serena and Nate are here, our parents are here. You're almost done."

"Yes, are you ready to meet your babies?" the doctor asked, walking up to the end of Blair's bed while putting on gloves.

Blair looked to Dan. "I can't do this," she cried. "I'm so tired, and it _hurts. _I can't do it."

But in true Blair Waldorf fashion, she did. With Dan by her side, holding her hand, and whispering reassurances in her ear.

It was unwavering and hard and painful—just like their journey to get here. But she did it.

Just over an hour later, Baby Girl A was born, followed by Baby Girl B sixteen minutes later. Even though he knew what they were, Dan proudly announced "It's A Girl!" twice, before turning to Blair. "I'm so proud of you. I love you so much," he said, kissing her on the lips. She looked tired, but more beautiful than he'd ever seen her.

"I love you too," she sobbed happily. "More than anything."

The moment Blair and Dan laid eyes on their daughters, they knew every tear (and scream) along the way was worth it. Right away, Blair held both her girls, before the nurses took them from her far too quickly. The happy tears that had filled her eyes prevented her from getting a clear picture of what they looked like, so as they were cleaned and weighed and inked for footprints, Dan ran back and forth from them to Blair, describing their soft wisps of brown hair. Their captivating eyes and utterly kissable cheeks. How they were tiny, a little under six pounds each, but totally healthy. In short, unconditionally perfect.

Until _finally,_ Dan held both girls in his arms and gave them to Blair. She cradled both in her arms as they were wheeled down to her private room, and, once situated, Dan joined her on the bed. They both propped up their knees and placed a girl in each of their laps, in awe that they were _here._ They studied every inch of their daughters, memorizing every feature. They laughed as they counted their tiny fingers and toes, even though they knew all forty were there from the ultrasounds. And they laughed even harder when they were given additional hospital bracelets to show they were their parents; their wrists now had four bracelets each, and Blair declared them her new favorite jewelry. Although they felt slightly guilty, they didn't allow any visitors in for some time; they weren't ready to share their babies yet. "We've waited for you for so long, little girls," Blair whispered.

It was three hours later that Dan finally brought up their names.

"So which name goes to which baby? How do we choose?" he chuckled, looking at the girl in his lap. He nudged the baby's tiny hand with his index finger, and she instinctively wrapped her fingers around him.

Blair scrunched her nose and her mouth twisted into a smile. "Oh I don't know! I hadn't thought of that." She lightly smoothed "her" baby's cheek with her finger, overcome by how soft her skin was.

"Well...you have Baby A, right?"

Blair laughed quietly and checked the baby's hospital bracelet. "Yes, I have Baby A."

"So then this one," he said, gesturing to the baby he was holding, "Should be Baby Bea." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Beatrice Rose."

Blair broke into a grin, and looked down at the baby in her lap. "Which makes this one...Colette Eleanor."

"Coco and Bea." He leaned over to kiss Blair's forehead, then brought his lips close to her ear. "Perfect."

**::**

"Can we come in?" Serena asked, tapping on the doorframe of their room. She gasped at the sight of Dan and Blair with two pink bundles in their laps.

"Yeah, sure," Dan said, not even looking away from his girls.

"Oh my _gosh!_" she said breathily, walking up to the bed, pulling Nate by the hand. "They're so beautiful!"

"Thanks, S!" Blair replied, completely agreeing. "They're 100% healthy and perfect."

Nate stood silently, in total awe that Blair and Dan had babies. That they were _parents_.

"Want to hold one?" Blair asked Serena.

She excitedly nodded her head. "Really?"

"Of course," Dan chimed in. "You too, Nate. If you haven't noticed already, we have one for both of you," he joked.

"Um, uh...okay," Nate said hesitantly.

The other three looked at each other, confused by his nervous demeanor.

Nate blushed. "I've never really held that many babies before. Sue me if I'm a little nervous to hold your long-awaited, newborn, perfect baby," he said defensively.

"Aw, Natie," Serena smiled. "You can always sit down if it would make you feel more comfortable."

Nate nodded. "Yeah, I think I'll do that."

After pulling up a chair, Dan carefully transferred Beatrice into his arms, watching Nate naturally support her head with his elbow. "See, it's not so bad," Dan laughed, sitting back down on the bed.

"Hi there," Nate said softly, peering down at the baby in his arms.

"Okay, I _need_ to get my hands on that baby," Serena said jealously, pointing to the baby Blair was holding.

Blair laughed. "Okay, okay." Serena bent down to carefully scoop Colette out of her arms, cradling her against her body. Drawn in by the addicting baby smell, she placed a light kiss against her head.

"Oh my god, you guys. I don't think I've seen cuter babies. And they're so tiny," Serena whispered in awe. "Nate, can you believe we're going to have one of these?" The emotion was evident in her voice, and tears outlined her eyes.

Nate's eyes widened, as if it finally clicked he was going to be a father. "Yeah, I guess we are."

"You'll be great parents, guys. I mean, look at us. They're four hours old and we're already rocking it," Dan said with a cocky grin.

"I love you so much _baby girl-whose-name-I-don't-know_," Serena cooed, simultaneously glaring at Blair and Dan.

"Oh, did we not reveal them yet?" Blair teased, smiling at Dan.

"No, you did not," Serena scolded lightly.

"Well, this," Blair sat up and lightly pulled away the blanket to get a peek at the baby in Serena's arms. Smiling, she said, "Is Colette Eleanor."

"And Nate," Dan continued, "is holding Beatrice Rose."

"Another Bea to love," Serena said smiling, looking at Blair. "I have a feeling she's going to own that nickname. Both names are perfect."

"It took around two-hundred notecards, but we think we picked some pretty good ones," Blair said, giving a knowing grin to Dan.

As their friends loved on their girls, Blair took the opportunity to sit back and relax for the first time all day, pulling Dan close to her again. He instinctively wrapped an arm around her, nestling her against his chest, and kissed her temple. She looked up and him, blissfully exhausted, and smiled.

After some time, Serena and Nate left, followed by all of their parents, who each took turns holding the girls. Happy tears and hugs were spread all around, and by the time everyone left, Dan and Blair were itching to hold their daughters again. They had been passed around all afternoon, and, well...they missed them.

They both sat on the bed and stared at their sleeping girls again, swapping babies from time to time. After successfully breastfeeding both, impressing Dan and the staff, two nurses came to take the girls to the nursery.

"Oh, I suppose," Blair said reluctantly, handing Colette to the one, while Dan handed Beatrice to the other.

"You're probably exhausted," the nurse said, looking Blair over. "This way you can get an uninterrupted night's sleep."

Once they wheeled the girls out of the room, Blair looked to Dan. "What now?" she laughed.

"I have no clue," Dan said, as he sat down on the chair and raked a hand through his hair. "I don't even remember what it was like before them."

Blair gave a tired smile. "I know."

After the long, exhausting day, Blair welcomed the opportunity to shower and change into a nightgown she brought from home. Even though the hospital set up a cot for Dan, he ignored it and instead laid down next to Blair. The bed was tiny, but with Blair significantly smaller than just a few hours before, Dan savored the fact, curling her body flush against his. "They're so amazing," he whispered, before kissing her ear.

Blair beamed proudly. Seeing Dan with their girls made her fall in love with him all over again. Both Colette and Beatrice were already wrapped so tightly around his heart, and if she didn't find herself completely head-over-heels attracted to him before, she did now. "I know. We make pretty adorable babies." She kissed him then, more passionately than they had all day. Even though their daughters were now the center of their world, Dan was still first in her eyes. She adored her girls, but no one could compete with the overwhelming love she felt for him.

"I miss them already," Blair confessed quietly. "Do you think we can go get them?"

"I do too," he laughed. "I'll be right back."

Ten minutes later, Dan and a nurse wheeled the girls in the room. "It took a lot of convincing, but I assured them we would be just fine."

"Of course we'll be; we're their parents," Blair said, taking Beatrice from Dan. Blair cradled Bea on her lap so she could see all of her. "Oh I love you so much already," Blair sang, leaning down to kiss her. "Both of you."

She took her finger and outlined Bea's face softly, then rubbed her cheek. Her eyes opened slowly, and Blair gasped. "Hello baby girl," Blair cooed. "Oh, your eyes are so beautiful."

"Coco's awake too," Dan said, carefully sitting beside Blair again.

Both girls awake on their laps made everything set in. They were here, they were healthy, and they were perfect. Nothing else mattered anymore.

The night was long, with Blair waking up every three hours to feed the girls; but she deliriously loved every second of it. The next day brought more visitors, including Vanessa and James, who, like everyone else, fell in love with the girls right away.

Two days after the girls were born, they passed the carseat test with flying colors. All three (including Blair) were declared healthy enough to go home, and Blair and Dan couldn't get out faster. It was nice having the nurse's help, but they wanted to go home and start their lives as a family.

An hour later, each armed with a baby carrier, Dan and Blair arrived at the house. After dropping their bags in the hallway, they headed straight for the nursery.

"Coco and Bea, welcome to your room," Dan said, unbuckling Beatrice out of her seat. Blair did the same with Colette, and once the babies were settled in their arms, they both sat in the rocking chairs.

"They're both fed, changed, and asleep. What should we do?" Blair asked, the moment sinking in.

Dan thought for a moment, before smiling wide. "I have an idea." After handing over Bea, he left the room for a minute. When he came back in, he took Bea back and relaxed in the chair. "Girls," Dan started, looking from Beatrice to Colette. "This is the story of how your mom and I met. It's a long, complicated, amazing, romantic story. But it's how we fell in love, so that's all that matters."

Blair reached over and took his hand, letting tears fall freely from her eyes. "I love you," she said, never meaning the words more.

"I love you too," he replied back, feeling the exact same way.

And so they both took turns reading the girls their first story—the one their dad wrote.

But most importantly, the one that led to them.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope this was worth the wait. Out of every chapter, this one is nearest and dearest to my heart. I would love to know your thoughts, so please review!

Epilogue coming soon. :)


	16. Epilogue

**_4 Years Later..._**

* * *

"Mommy?" a small voice called, before Blair heard a pitter-pattering come down the stairs.

"S, I have to go. See you soon," Blair said, hanging up her cell and turning towards the hallway.

Beatrice appeared around the corner, walking slowly and close to the wall, dragging her favorite pink blanket from behind. Her soft curls were unruly and her cheeks were pink and warm from sleep. She looked positively adorable, and Blair smiled easily once she laid eyes on her.

"Hello my love," Blair said warmly, crouching down to her level. She smoothed Bea's curls away from her face and wrapped her in her arms. "How was your nap?" she asked as she picked her daughter up, loving the way she curled her body around her, holding on as if she didn't trust anyone else. She breathed in her addicting scent and her heart fluttered.

"Good," Bea answered softly, laying her head on Blair's shoulder. She instinctively held onto one of Blair's curls and rubbed it in-between her fingers. It was a habit only Bea did—something she had done since she was months old—and Blair dreaded the day she would stop. She could always tell her girls apart, of course. But in the middle of the night, whenever a little girl tip-toed in their room and crawled in their bed, she could always tell it was Bea if she felt little fingers tugging on her hair.

"Is your sister awake?"

Bea shook her head and wrapped her arms tighter around Blair's neck. "Where's Daddy?"

"Daddy," Blair said, setting Bea down on the kitchen counter, "will be home soon." She pulled away so she could see her daughter's face. "And then you're going to get your party dress on and we're going to go to the party. Sound fun?"

Beatrice nodded, her curls falling loosely in front of her face again. She still looked rumpled and sleepy, clutching onto Blair's shirt. One of Blair's favorite times of the day was whenever the girls woke up in the morning or from their nap. They were clingy and needy in the best way possible—wanting only her.

"Should we go wake up Coco?" Blair asked, kissing her cheek.

A wide grin broke out on the girl's face. Still quiet as ever, she just nodded.

"Okay, let's go," Blair said, sliding Bea off the counter to carry her upstairs. She quietly opened the girls' door and walked in. Everything had stayed the same from when they were born, apart from the two toddler beds that were converted from their cribs. The fact that her little girls were no longer in cribs made Blair's heart ache, but their current age was so fun, Blair didn't wish for anything but the present.

Beatrice slipped out of her arms and ran over to her own bed, crawling on top. She turned to watch Blair, who carefully sat on the edge of Colette's bed, smiling down at her sleeping girl. Softly, she began rubbing circles on Coco's back to ease her awake, then dropped a kiss on her head. "Coco," she whispered in her ear. "Wake up, sweetie."

Colette turned and buried her face in the pillow, before rolling over to blink up at Blair. "Hi Mommy," she said groggily, but with a smile on her face. For fraternal twins, they looked unbelievably alike—with the same brown eyes and curls.

"Hi baby." Blair leaned down and covered her face in kisses, before scooping her into her arms. "Did you sleep well?"

As if on cue, Coco yawned and rubbed her eye with her fist. "Yes."

"I can see that," Blair laughed. "Now you'll be ready to have lots of fun at the party."

Colette pulled away from Blair, as if she remembered something. "Is it still your birthday Mommy?" She had a slight lisp that made Blair love her even more.

She laughed. "Yes it is. That's where we're going; we're going to my birthday party." Both girls' faces lit up, as they heard the muffled sound of the front door shutting.

"Where is everyone?" Dan's voice followed, calling from downstairs.

Blair turned towards the hallway. "We'll be right down!"

"When, um...when are we leaving?" Bea asked from her bed, swinging her legs back and forth under her.

"Soon. But first, let's go see Daddy downstairs."

A few moments later, all three walked into the kitchen, where Dan was standing.

"Daddy!" Bea exclaimed, running over to him. She wrapped her arms around his legs and looked up at him.

"Hey Buzz!" Dan said, picking Bea up.

Beatrice giggled. "My name's not Buzz, Daddy."

"It's not?" Dan teased.

"No, it's Bea!"

"I thought it was Buzz! Don't bees go buzzzz..." A peel of laughter came from Beatrice, as Dan began to tickle her.

Blair laughed at the duo as she poured milk into two sippy cups. "Can she breathe Dan?" she asked half-joking, still amused all the while.

Dan stopped tickling her. "Now she can."

"Very funny," she replied, walking over to kiss him. "Did you get the dry cleaning?"

Dan slid Bea down from his arms and pointed to the door, where the freshly pressed clothes were hanging. "Yup."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "Will you help me dress the girls?"

"Can I _un_dress you later?" he teased quietly, so their daughters wouldn't hear.

"Yes," Blair said swiftly, eyes immediately burning with desire. "You may. But first...the girls."

"Of course," he said, before kissing her once more. He turned Coco and Bea. "Alright," he clapped his hands. "Bea...Daddy or Mommy?"

Beatrice bit her lip to hide her smile and swayed back and forth. Looking awfully shy, she eyed Blair. "Mommy."

"Me?" she gasped, feigning surprise. Bea nodded with a smile.

Dan picked up Coco. "Ready partner?" he asked. Once she nodded, he ran upstairs with her, as if it were a race, making her giggle uncontrollably.

Ten minutes later he walked back downstairs with a dress-wearing Colette—to see Blair and a _non_ dress-wearing Beatrice.

Dan looked at her, confused. "What...?"

"She refuses to put on her dress," Blair said, smirking nonetheless. "She wants to wear leggings and a t-shirt."

Dan smiled; Bea was always the one to keep them on their toes. "Bea, your sister is wearing her party dress," he said, kneeling down to her level. "It's for Mommy's birthday!"

The girl just shook her head, still clutching her pink blanket.

Dan looked at Blair and shrugged.

She gave in. "Alright, you can wear that. We'll bring the dress if you want to change into it later," Blair said, kissing Bea to show she wasn't mad.

Thirty minutes later, Blair and Dan walked hand-in-hand into Serena and Nate's apartment. They were barely through the door before Lila Archibald grabbed the twins' hands. "Be careful!" Dan called, laughing, as both girls narrowly avoided a sharp corner.

They walked into the kitchen—the adult gathering place these days—and were welcomed by a joyous "Happy Birthday!"

Blair took in the sight of her friends—Nate, Serena, Vanessa, and James—and her heart warmed. "Thanks guys."

Nate was standing at the counter, cutting some fruit into small pieces. Serena reached over and grabbed a strawberry, popping it in her mouth. He lightly smacked her hand.

"What?" she asked, a coy smile upon her face.

"They're for the kids!" he laughed, before cutting some more to put on a plate for his wife.

A baby's cry stopped everyone in their place. Serena started to stand, but was halted by Blair. "I'll get her!" she said quickly, before rushing out of the room. A few minutes later she reappeared, but this time, with a newborn propped up on her shoulder.

"Miss Clara was not a happy baby by the time I got to her," Blair laughed as she sat down, switching positions so the baby lay in her arms.

"Yeah. We were all aware of that, thanks to the monitor," Dan said, leaning down to kiss the baby's head.

Coco and Bea barreled in giggling—chased by Lila— but stopped once they saw Clara in Blair's arms. "Be gentle," she told them both, and then watched them softly touch the baby's face. Ten seconds later, the girls ran off again. Once they were gone, Vanessa turned to Dan and Blair.

"What's with the leggings and t-shirt?"

Blair let out a laugh. "I somehow ended up with a daughter who hates wearing dresses and headbands fifty-percent of the time. This is one of those days."

"We pick our battles," Dan added in, getting chuckles of understanding from his friends.

After dinner and washing of the dishes, everyone crowded around the table to sing Happy Birthday. It was off key and loud, and Blair watched in amusement as Colette fumbled with the words. But it was perfect, and she smiled dreamily as she closed her eyes and wished. She exaggerated everything, knowing her girls would be absolutely captivated by her reaction to the song, the candles, and the cake.

She opened her eyes and turned to both. "I don't think I can blow them out by myself! I need you two to help me," she said to their beaming grins.

Once the candles were out, Blair cut the cake and handed everyone a piece. She shared with Dan, who messily shoveled a bite into her laughing mouth, getting frosting all over her cheeks, nose, and chin. He used his lips to kiss the icing off, and ended on hers.

Presents were given after dessert. Blair opened homemade gifts from Beatrice and Colette, as well as the other kids. Her daughters helped open the rest, more interested in tearing open the paper than the actual gift inside. After the scraps of paper were thrown away, the adults moved back into the kitchen while the kids played some more.

Blair sat on Dan's lap, holding a mug of tea in her hand. She closed her eyes when she felt him kiss her temple.

"I have a present for you, but I want to give it to you in private, so Serena—" Dan turned to his stepsister. "Will you watch the girls for a bit?"

"Seriously? You can't wait until tonight? You two are insatiable," she laughed, shaking her head.

"Serena!" Blair scolded, her face reddening. Her friend merely lifted her shoulders, as if saying _what?_

"Uh, thank you for your comments, but it actually has nothing to do with..." Dan's eyes caught sight of a nearing Colette, "..._that._"

Nate jumped in. "I think what my wife meant was, of course we'll watch the girls." He eyed Serena, who still was playing innocent. She looked down at a sleeping Clara to avoid their stares.

"Thanks." Dan watched Coco walk up to their chair. She was looking especially adorable; her hair was messy from running around, and her dress strap had slipped off her shoulder. Blair moved over so Dan could pull her up into his arms. "Mommy and I are going out for a few minutes, but we'll be right back, okay?"

"Where are you going?" she asked, pressing her palm to Dan's cheek.

"I'm going to give Mommy her birthday present. But you and Bea stay here and play with all your cousins. We'll be right back." Once she slipped down from his arms, Dan took Blair's hand and led her out of the room. After grabbing the bag he left by the door, they strolled a few blocks before they made it to Central Park. They made the familiar walk to the duck pond and sat down on a bench, the streetlights covering them with a bright glow.

"We have to come back here next weekend. Coco's been begging me to come back and feed the ducks," Blair said, smiling at the thought of her daughter.

Dan smiled back. "Okay."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment. "You know...I was a little disappointed when you said what my private present was _not_." She turned to him with a knowing grin.

"Oh yeah?" Dan leaned in close to her face. Even after all this time, he was still drawn to her, still captivated by her, still so goddamn in love with her.

"Mmhmm," she hummed, nodding. She brushed her lips against his, before deepening the kiss. "So what _is _this special present? You know I don't need anything; I have everything I need."

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded.

"Well, I think you'll like this present." He handed her a wrapped box from inside the bag.

"What is it?" she asked.

Dan laughed. "Would you just open it?"

Once the wrapping paper was off, Blair stared at the white clothing box for a moment. Slowly, she lifted the lid and parted the thin pieces of tissue paper. Nestled in the center of the box was a pack of colored notecards.

Blair felt like the wind was knocked out of her. She looked up at Dan. "Does this mean..."

Dan simply nodded, trying to act nonchalant, but failing miserably. He was beaming.

"Oh my god!" Blair gasped. She picked up the notecards as tears fell, feeling the plastic wrap holding them together. "How far along?"

"Thirty-four weeks."

Her breath hitched. "Is it a—"

Dan shrugged, interrupting. "Surprise."

Blair swallowed. "You're telling me that in around six weeks...we're going to have another baby?"

Dan smiled and nodded. "They picked us."

"Oh my god," she breathed out, not knowing what else to say. "How long have you known?"

He sighed. "A week."

"A WEEK?"

"I thought I'd wait until your birthday! Besides, now you have to wait one less week," he smirked.

She gave a watery laugh. "Yeah, I guess so." She stared down at the notecards. "So...same system as last time?"

"Yup. Blue for first names, yellow for middle names and green for—"

"Names that are off-limits. Yes, I remember," she said, her mouth twisting into a smile. Thinking back to when she was pregnant with the girls, the news hit her once more. Hit her deep within. Hit her so hard she didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or both.

"We've been on the waiting list for two years," Blair said quietly, letting the tears fall again. "I'd just about accepted that we'd be a family of four, and to be honest, was completely happy and content with that." She looked up at Dan and met his eyes. The eyes of the person she'd gone through so much with—the good and the bad. "I didn't know how much I wanted it until now. How much this fifth person was missing."

"I can't wait," Dan said, bringing a hand up to her cheek. He leaned in close to her mouth; so close, that when he spoke, his lips brushed hers. "I can't wait to do it all over again with you."

"I love you," she said, kissing him senseless.

He smiled the smile that still made her pulse race, her knees weak, and her heart soar. "I love you too. Now let's go tell our girls."

And as they grasped each other's hands, they set out to do just that.

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_**The End.**_

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**A/N: **Apologies for taking so long. Real life got too crazy for me to write.

Thanks so much to the very talented Sarabrowncolorado for giving me a deadline to complete this (even though I forced you to do just that). I am immensely grateful for the feedback and help you provided me. And I will keep thanking you over and over and over...and over again.

**To my readers: I sincerely hope you liked this and are satisfied with the way I ended it. :) Thanks for sticking with me the whole way. Please let me know your final thoughts! **

**I would love reviews.**


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